The Gang TodaySecond Season
by Leah1968
Summary: Follow on from The Gang Today. The story continues.
1. Chapter 1

-1_Disclaimer I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to NBC/Peter Engel productions. Neither am I anything to do with either of those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show._

The Gang Today

Season Two

The Christening

Chapter One

Crystal Turtle, was the best dressed baby in LA, but no one would expect any less with Lisa Turtle for a Mother. It was a warm LA day in early June and Crystal Turtle, who had been born one month premature was now three months old and the centre of attention at her christening.

To everyone's surprise, especially Lisa's, she had taken well to motherhood. The nurses back in the hospital had said she and Darren were natural parents. Yet Lisa and Darren had been so overwhelmed when Crystal was born that they were suddenly responsible for this tiny little person. They had both taken two months off work when Crystal was born, but now their live-in nanny Sheila had been with them a few weeks. Sheila had been recommended by a designer friend of Lisa's whose children were going away to boarding school, so they wouldn't be needing Sheila anymore.

Lisa had a lot of new collections to work on right now, but she made sure she took breaks throughout the day to be with Crystal. Darren was home from Chicago most weekends and they gave Sheila her weekends off. Lisa and Darren were so in love with and fascinated by their beautiful daughter.

Lisa's pregnancy hadn't been an easy one, she had been tired all the way through, suffered with high blood pressure and when she was almost eight months pregnant she had got a severe kidney infection and they had rushed her to hospital and given her an emergency c-section. Born weighing barely five pounds Crystal had spent the first two weeks of her life in an incubator, her parents at her side twenty four seven, just wanting to be able to take their daughter home. Lisa had spent most of that two weeks still in the hospital herself recovering from the c-section and the kidney infection. But looking down at her daughter now, Lisa knew every minute had been worth it.

Lisa's parents had come up from Florida for the christening of their only grandchild and it was the first time Darren's parents actually had the chance to meet them.

Lisa and Darren had decided to make it a small ceremony for only family and close friends, despite the many offers from magazines offering thousands of dollars for exclusive pictures.

'Our baby daughter is not a show thing', Lisa had insisted on about the fifteenth such call she had , had in a day.

Lisa and Darren had then gone to a lot of trouble to find an out of the way small church and paid a fortune for some security guards to keep the press out and it had worked, they got the nice, small ceremony they wanted.

For once in his life Berry Dawson, one of the proud godparents, had shown up without a date, much to Lisa's surprise.

'No man on your arm today Berry?'

'No Lisa. This is a special occasion for you. I wasn't going to bring someone along that will be insignificant to it in a few months time.'

'Weeks more like', Lisa joked, secretly pleased about Berry's decision. She didn't want anyone in the pictures that wouldn't mean anything to her family in the future.

Lisa had wanted to design a christening gown for Crystal, but she just hadn't had the time, but luckily she had been able to use the family christening gown she herself had been christened in and her Mother and Grandmother before her.

They were holding the party after the christening in the function suite of a nearby country house hotel and they had decided to take the photo's outside the church before they went on there, as the scene outside the church was far prettier.

Making the decision of who to ask to be godparents had been difficult for Lisa and Darren, except for Berry of course. Lisa had promised Berry years ago he could be a godparent if she ever had any children. She couldn't ask all her close friends, but she had wanted to ask some of them. But in the end, the decision had been partly made for her. Zack and Kelly were already godparents to two sets of their friends children and had told Lisa, although they would be honoured, they wouldn't be offended if they asked someone else, even though she was a godmother to Sophie herself. Screech had told them he was too busy still trying to catch up on nearly sixteen years of Fatherhood to be a godparent as well.

Lisa had already wanted to ask Jessie and Slater but hadn't been sure how they would feel about it. Considering they couldn't ever have children of their own, she hadn't wanted to rub salt in to the wound.

In the end Lisa had decided to ask them anyway. She had gone round to see them on one of the rare evenings they were both home early and had taken the then six weeks old Crystal with her, even though Darren had been home.

'Look guys, listen. I don't want to upset you, neither am I trying to blackmail you, by bringing Crystal with me. But I was just wondering how you would feel about being Crystal's godparents along with Berry.'

'What about Zack and Kelly', Slater had asked surprised.

'Lisa, Slater and I know nothing about kids or being godparents', Jessie had told her.

'It's easy. All you have to do is buy them nice presents on Christmas and birthdays, treat them occasionally, just let them know you care and look out for them. You guys can do that , I know.'

'Lisa, I'm still not sure, can we let you know tomorrow?'. Jessie had asked.

'Sure, but I really hope you are going to say yes. Why don't you come and say goodbye to Crystal?'

'Sure', Slater had got up and held Crystal for a bit 'Hello little lady, you are going to be a heartbreaker, just like your Mother.'

But when Slater had gone to pass Crystal to Jessie, Jessie had made the excuse of needing the bathroom and when she came out, Lisa had put Crystal in her carrycot ready to go home.

'I'll call you tomorrow Lisa', Jessie had waved them goodbye.

'Okay Jessie, what was all that about?'

'Nothing.'

'Jessie, you expect me to believe that?'

'Okay Slater, I was too scared to pick up Crystal okay.'

'Why, did you think you would drop her or something?'

'No, nothing like that. I was scared how it would make me feel. I feel bad, it was selfish. I wouldn't pick up my best friends baby because I was scared how it would make me feel knowing I'll never hold my own baby. Then seeing you hold Crystal, it made me feel even worse.'

Slater pulled Jessie close to him and hugged her hard.

'Oh honey, is that why you don't want to be a godmother to Crystal?'

'Slater, I would love to be a godmother to Crystal for Lisa. I'm just not sure I can do it.'

'I'll be there with you, you will do fine, we both will.'

'I'm being silly aren't I?'

'No Jessie, your just being honest.'

The next morning they had called Lisa and said yes and when the day of the christening had arrived, Jessie had made it through the ceremony fine. She had put aside her own heartbreak and held Crystal for the first time during the ceremony for a few minutes and she was fine.

At the christening party while Crystal was being passed around among all four of her proud grandparents, Lisa had taken time out to go and talk to Jessie, while Darren was off with Zack, Slater and Screech, talking about baseball as usual.

'Thanks Jessie. I know this was hard for you, but I 'm so glad you did it. With you and Slater and Berry as godparents, Crystal can't go wrong in life.'

'Thanks Lisa, its an honour, sorry I was funny about it to begin with.'

Jessie hugged her friend and then she and Slater had to leave as they were going to visit Lesley at the hotel for the night as the christening had been in a village on the way to Palm Springs.

Ben Morris was boring Lisa's parents silly talking about his upcoming auditions to a performing arts school for when he started seventh grade in the fall. As they were leaving, Mrs Turtle caught up with Zack and Kelly for a few minutes.

'If that kid of yours is as good as he says he is, he will play all the teaching staff out of that school he keeps talking about.'

'Good', Zack had joked 'Someone else can listen to him playing the same tunes over and over again everyday and with any luck he will also learn a lot more new ones.'

When the afternoon party was finally over and everyone had left, Lisa and Darren took their sleeping daughter home.

'I'm exhausted, that's the last lavish party she is getting until she turns eighteen', Lisa had said as they put her to bed in her cot when they got home.

'Lisa, I know you, you are probably secretly already planning her first birthday party.'

'How did you know', Lisa smiled , as she had secretly already been planning the occasion.

Back at Screech's place, Screech was talking to his son over coffee.

'Do you know if you were christened Paul?'

'I wasn't. My grandfather said I was illegitimate so had no right. The two adopted children were christened of course.'

'I guess unless you are really religious its not much of an issue.'

'But Lisa and Darren aren't religious.'

'No , but I know they both went to church when they were growing up and their parents still do. Lisa always said she would have any children she had christened. That was back in the days when being grown-up was still in the distant future and I still believed one day Lisa would be my wife. I had a massive crush on her when we were in high school. Actually I think the time we had almost finished high school it had become more of an obsession than anything else.'

Screech then spent the rest of the afternoon reminiscing , telling Paul about all his failed attempts to win Lisa's heart.


	2. Chapter 2

-1_Disclaimer I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred to. They all belong to NBC/Peter Engel productions. Neither am I anything to do with either of those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show._

Chapter Two

Ben's Audition

Zack and Kelly had one nervous son on their hands. It was the weekend of his music school audition., Having spent a long time searching out the best performing arts school in California, Ben had an audition to a school in San Diego that ran an excellent music programme. It had an excellent rates of graduates going on to Juliard and musical careers. The only downside, was it being a four hour drive away, it meant Ben would have to be a boarder at the school, but it was what he really wanted to do.

They had taken Ben over for a visit to the Lisa Myers school in LA, he had first thought of going to, but they had told Ben he would have to take acting and dancing lessons too and he didn't want to do any of that. He just wanted to concentrate on his music and that was what this school would allow him to do.

'Zack do you think we are doing the right thing?'

'What do you mean Kelly?'

'I mean, sending a twelve year old boy to boarding school.'

'Kelly, he hasn't even got in yet. And we've got to remember , its him that kept nagging us to go .'

'I'll miss him so much'.

'Me too Kelly.'

Just then Ben came out of the bathroom in their hotel suite, finally ready to go.

'Come on then son, lets show them what your made of. Knock 'em dead with _Waltz Of The Flowers_', Zack encouraged his son.

'Ben you will be great. We haven't listened to you play for all these years for nothing' Kelly told her son. She was also thinking if he got in to the school how much she would miss hearing him practice his violin at home every day. And secretly she wasn't sure who was more nervous, herself or Ben. Zack seemed to be taking it all in his stride, just like he always did and for that she was grateful, she knew her own nervousness wouldn't do Ben any good.

They drove the five miles from the hotel to the school in silence, Ben looking over his music sheets over and over in the back.

When they did arrive, from the outside the building looked more like a hotel than a school, but there were signs up from the parking lot directing potential incoming seventh graders to auditions.

They joined a line at the reception to register when Ben started looking round at all their other kids and their instruments.

'Mum, Dad, I've changed my mind. I don't want to audition anymore.'

Zack saw how nervous his son had suddenly become again.

'Yes you do Ben, its just nerves.'

'No honestly Dad, I can't do it', Ben ran off towards the bathroom.

'Kelly wait in line, I'll go talk to him.'

'Okay, looks like it will be a while before we get to the front anyway.'

Zack found his son staring in the mirror in the bathroom.

'Ben, this has been your dream. What is going on?'

'It is my dream, Dad, but all those other kids, what if I'm not good enough?'

'Of course you are good enough. Deep down, you know you are good enough. Your Mum and I know you are good enough, your teachers know your good enough, now you just have to show these guys your good enough. One day, your Mum and I will watch you perform in a world famous orchestra the journey to that starts right here Ben.'

'Thanks Dad.'

Zack hugged his nervous son 'Come on then, lets go and impress these people and prove you are the best here.'

When Zack and Ben rejoined Kelly, she was almost at the front of the registration line. Then they were filling in forms and being ushered through to various rooms. All the parents were then sent off to the cafeteria for coffee while the kids did their auditions.

'I guess all we can do now is wait', said Kelly as she added a third spoonful of sugar to her coffee.

'Gees Kelly, anyone would think you were the one auditioning.'

'In a way , it does kind of feel like it. I wonder how Sophie is getting on staying with Screech and Paul.'

'Screech said he was going to get her to tutor Paul all day today and then treat them to the movies tonight.'

'No doubt one of those crazy, off the wall horror movies that Screech likes. I hope it doesn't give her nightmares.'

'Sophie, nah, she loves horror movies.'

Zack and Kelly then passed the time, by talking about Ben having loved music from an early age, having first picked up one of their friends violins at the age of four and fallen in love with the instrument.

'They must be due for a break soon , surely', Kelly was getting really anxious, wondering how her son was doing in there.

One of the teachers doing the auditions came in to the cafeteria then and sat down next to Zack and Kelly with his clipboard.

'Mr and Mrs Morris', he shook both their hands 'I'm Mr Brandon, the Vice Principal here.'

'Has our son Ben finished his audition yet?', Kelly asked.

'He sure has, he is just finishing up his interview with the Principal.'

'How did he do?', Kelly didn't know if she could take it much longer.

'All I can say is you have one talented son. I am presuming he already plays in a junior orchestra because not only is he talented, he is also very professional and we would like to offer Ben a full scholarship here. In effect that means the school pays his tuition fees, his boarding fees and even for his school books all the way through until he graduates his senior year when he is eighteen. He has good behaviour and academic records from his elementary school, so we are not just accepting him, we want him as a student.'

'Wow, have you told Ben yet?'

'No Mrs Morris, we like to talk to the parents first.'

'I'll miss him terrible, but I'm so happy for him', Kelly was already dreading the day Ben would have to leave for school.

'Lets go and give Ben the good news now. And I have to say, I honestly never heard someone play _Waltz Of The Flowers_ as a violin solo so well.'

Zack and Kelly looked at each other and laughed.

Ben was ecstatic and so excited he didn't stop talking all the way back to the hotel.

'So Ben, I say we all go out to dinner and celebrate tonight', Kelly suggested as they had decided to take the whole weekend away in San Diego anyway.

'I would love to, but I have to practice when I get back to the hotel first. I was too nervous to practice when we got here yesterday.'

'That's my boy', said Zack, glad his ordeal at the auditions was over.

When they got back to LA Sunday evening and picked Sophie up from Screech's on the way home, they were all worn out from the weekend.

'I have worked so hard this weekend', Sophie complained 'Now I know why Screech got to be a principal, what a slave driver. Yesterday I spent all day tutoring Paul with physics and chemistry, then Screech took us to see some weird off the wall movie that didn't make any sense, then this morning , he made me do my own homework. And I didn't even get a rest once I'd done that, Paul got me to play squash with him, because he said his dad is too much of a walkover and he needed a challenge, but he thrashed me anyway, he does play for the state schools after all. And next time you go away, please let me stay with Jessie and Slater or Lisa and Darren.'

'Aren't you going to ask your brother how he got on at his audition?', Kelly prompted her as they got out of Zack's car in their drive.

'I bet he walked it', Sophie smiled at her brother.

'You got that right. I got a scholarship.'

'Ben that's great.' Sophie was thrilled for her brother, but even more thrilled that come September she wouldn't be woken up half hour before her alarm by Ben practicing every morning.

'Of course Ben, I am also jealous. You get to go to school down in San Diego, while I get to go to boring old Bayside.'

'Hey, there isn't anything wrong with Bayside', pointed out Zack.

'Well you would say that, especially as you are a full time teacher there from the fall. I'm just glad you are not going to be my homeroom teacher, that would be so embarrassing.'

'Don't worry Sophie. Screech has said he is going to lumber me with seniors for my homeroom.'

Really Zack was looking forward to starting his first semester as a full time teacher, though he still had six more weeks to finish up as Screech's admin assistant.

'I know I keep saying it Kelly, but twenty years ago I would have hated the thought of teaching or even working in a school', Zack said to Kelly once their exhausted children were in bed.

'Yes but Zack, you've found out you are good at teaching. You clearly enjoy it and you wasted enough years doing something you hated.'

'I know. I just didn't realise how much I hated it until I was made redundant. Redundancy was probably the best thing that ever happened to me. All that number crunching, it was so boring compared to coming up with ideas for business or should I say scams in the case of when we were in high school.'

'You kept us entertained, we never knew what you were going to come up with next.'

'All I cared about was making money. And you of course.'

'Yes and your scams weren't always about making money, were they Mr Morris?'

'I don't know what you mean', Zack gave his wife a cheeky grin, knowing full well she was talking about all the things he did to get her to go out with him.


	3. Chapter 3

-1_Disclaimer I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred to. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with either of those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show._

Chapter Three

21st century living-Jessie and Slater Style.

'Come on Jessie, your telling me you know Cynthia Larson, the movie star, get real.'

'I do know her Slater. She lived in the same building as me my first year in London. Besides Slater, I help celebrities settle their divorces all the time, why are you so shocked I know Cynthia on a personal level?'

'Don't take this the wrong way Jessie, but she is famous for being stupid. What would the two of you had to talk about together?'

'Plenty actually. And I'll tell you something about Cynthia that isn't common knowledge, in fact its top secret. You must never tell anyone I told you. She has a first class maths degree from Oxford university. Her publicists told her to hide that fact and to pretend to be stupid to woo the fans. I got to say, it worked. But talking to the real Cynthia is nothing like talking to the famous one.'

'And she is coming here to visit you today?'

'Yes, this morning, though she said she only has time for a quick coffee, then she has to get to the set for filming. Why don't you stay and meet her?'

'No I don't think so Jessie. I wouldn't know what to say. Besides, I've got to get to the gym, Kevin has gone away with his latest bimbo again.'

'Ha, that coming from the man that told me he dated bimbo's all the way through college.'

'Only because they were something to do. Besides I needed a date quite often, but you had gone to New York.'

'Alright, alright, lets stop there before we start a daft fight, I haven't got the time. I've got to get all my gear together for the office after Cynthia leaves.'

'Okay, tell me about it later, that's if we see each other later. I can't believe my wife is friends with a movie star', Slater said as he left for work.

An hour later Jessie saw a cab pull up and let her old friend Cynthia in. Cynthia was still the blonde looker and even though she was nearly forty, she didn't look like she had aged a bit since Jessie had last seen her five years ago.

'Wow Cynthia, its great to see you. I can't believe its been five years.'

'Me neither, you look great Jessie.'

'And you look as fabulous as ever. Would you like coffee, tea, herbal tea?'

'Black coffee will do fine thanks.'

'So you still based in London?'

'Yes, but we are thinking of moving down to the south coast. It's not like I'm at home much anyway, but when I am I want to be somewhere peaceful.'

'I see, so how is Graham?'

'My god Jessie, it really has been too long. Graham and I split up two years ago. I'm with Dan Taylor now, that's Dan Taylor the movie director.'

Jessie realised that explained a few things, like how Cynthia had a part in a serious drama. Cynthia was usually hired for her looks rather than her acting and was therefore usually seen in light, fluffy, but high budget comedies.

'I see', Jessie couldn't think of anything more to say. Cynthia seemed to be keeping up her public image even behind closed doors these days and quite frankly she was boring Jessie. When she got up to leave Jessie was more relieved than anything. Cynthia's visit had made her more grateful than ever that she was back living near her closest friends now, not that she had seen much of them since Crystal's christening. Lisa , Darren and Crystal were currently on holiday in Europe and Kelly and Zack were busy with work and preparing Ben for when he went away to boarding school in the fall. They also had Ben's graduation from elementary school coming up. But they weren't the only ones. She and Slater seemed to have been putting in more hours than ever at work recently. It seemed to Jessie that everyone in LA wanted a divorce right now and Slater said he had never seen so many new gym members since he and Kevin had an advert put on TV. This morning was the first time in a long time they had even woken at the same hour and seen each other at breakfast.

When Jessie arrived at her office, she got the feeling she wouldn't be leaving much before midnight, but she doubted Slater would be home much before then anyway as he had told her he would have to go to the gym at the airport in the evening.

All the other partners at Jessie's firm were male and over forty-five and they often all went off to play golf in the afternoons. They had invited her to go with them a couple of times, but she knew it was only out of politeness. Besides she liked the peace and quiet of no one else moving around the partners offices, she could get on with her work in peace.

At six o'clock after everyone else from her building had gone home and she was about to start preparing for yet another new case, Slater surprised her by getting out of the executive lift opposite her office door.

'Hey, what are you doing here?'

'That's a nice way to greet your husband.'

'I didn't mean it like that. I just thought you had to get down to the gym at LAX.'

'I was supposed to , but I bribed the manager of the other place to go for me. I've missed you lately and I've got a surprise for you.'

'I've missed you too. I guess that's high flying twenty first century living for you.'

'Well put your work away. This evening I am taking you out and you will love it, though I am not so sure I will.'

'I'm curious, I'm just going to lock this stuff away okay', Jessie locked all the confidential papers in her desk.

Jessie was more than a little surprised when Slater pulled up outside the theatre.

'Slater , you hate the theatre.'

'I'm not over keen, I will admit. But I know how much you love it, especially the ballet.'

'You are going to sit through a whole ballet?'

'You got it, _Swan Lake_ to be precise.'

'Wow, my favourite. I think this is just what I need.'

'I know, we both need some time out.'

'Just try not to fall asleep okay, like the last time we went to the ballet together.'

'I just knew you were going to bring that up', though Slater smiled fondly at the memory.

The last time Slater had got them tickets to the ballet was their senior year of high school and Slater had slept all the way through the first act of _Sleeping Beauty_.

Once they were settled in to their seats Jessie was enthralled with her favourite ballet the minute the curtains opened, Slater was wondering how soon before the interval when they could go and get a drink at the bar. And after once they sat down for the second act, he did try to concentrate, but it just didn't fascinate him the way it did Jessie. He would much rather be watching a football or baseball match. Still Jessie was happy and relaxed, he had seen how stressed she was getting with work the past few weeks and he had decided they both needed a night away from work and booked the tickets on impulse at work that afternoon.

After the show they had a drink in the theatre bar, Slater sipping a non-alcoholic cocktail while Jessie enjoyed a raspberry mojito.

'Thanks Slater, I know every minute of that must have been torture for you.'

'No, because I got to spend more than a few waking minutes with you for the first time in weeks.'

'How about we go for a walk on the beach before we go home?'

'Sure, come on', Slater took her hand and they strolled along the beach hand in hand, just like they had after dates when they were teenagers.

'I was so disappointed when Cynthia left', Jessie told him about the way Cynthia had been.

'Yeah well, Dan Taylor is a member of the LAX gym and apparently he is a real arrogant man.'

'Well that explains a lot. Cynthia has always been a bit insecure, a bit neurotic, you know, like me', Jessie smiled.

'Yeah well, I love you anyway. Come on, lets go home, that six am alarm will be calling again before we know it.'

'Back to that twenty-first century living, but it was nice to have a few hours break from it all.'

'It sure was', Slater pulled Jessie up from where they had been sitting on the beach. It had been their favourite spot as teenagers and they kissed there now, like they had almost twenty years before.

As they pulled apart, Slater smiled and pushed back a loose strand of her hair.

'You know the best thing about being grown up? No curfews and we get to go home together.'

Jessie leaned forward to kiss him again and then they finally made their way back to Slater's car and headed for home. It was the most relaxing evening either of them had had in a long time. And it was great not to have any work interruptions as they had both switched their cell phones off as soon as they had left Jessie's office building.

'I'd forgotten what it was like, not to receive constant texts and phone calls', Jessie admitted.

'You and me both. Remember that old brick of a cell phone Zack had back in school?'

'Oh yeah, that old thing. And all it did was make calls, when you think of what cells can do now.'

'Where would we be without this twenty-first century lifestyle, no cell phones, no flat screen TV's, no DVD's , no constant access to the net wherever you are.'

'Slater I can't ever imagine having time to send all my work correspondence by post. Can you imagine?'

'You and I would be forever posting letters with out work.'

They were home now, cuddled up, sprawled out on the sofa and Slater had just flicked their flat screen on with the remote.

'Okay, I can live with watching a baseball match if you can live through the ballet.'

'It's just the highlights, I only wanted to see what the score ended up at.'

'Want to score with your wife instead?', Jessie gave him a cheeky wink.

'Now that is one offer I could never refuse', Slater caught the match score and then flicked the TV back off and pulled Jessie closer.

However, twenty-first century living soon interrupted them by the ringing of their landline telephone.


	4. Chapter 4

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Four

Devastating News

Jessie didn't know who would be ringing them on the landline at this hour, but when Slater went to pick up the handset , it didn't take her long to figure out it was something bad.

Within a few minutes all the colour had drained from Slater's face, he had gone as white as a ghost and then she noticed he was shaking. She pulled her sweater back on and went over to where Slater was standing listening to whoever was on the other end of the phone.

Jessie knew this was bad, she had only seen this happen to Slater once before, a few months back when he had got a phone call about an old team mate from his college wrestling days being killed in a car crash. After he took that call, he had spent the next half hour throwing up , before finally being able to tell her what had happened.

Slater had told her later he didn't deal well with death and that was what happened every time he heard of somebody close to him had died, ever since his first Grandparent had died when he was twelve. He was fine looking after a bereaved person and he had been so good taking care of her when her Father had died, but when he was the bereaved one, he just didn't know how to deal with it. From what was happening to Slater now, Jessie could only assume someone had died.

Slater said goodbye to whoever was on the other end of the line and ran straight in to their guest bathroom off the lounge where he began to throw up straight away. Worried, Jessie followed him. When he was finally done, still shaking, he collapsed into Jessie's arms, holding her tighter than she had ever known, like he was scared to let go.

'Slater, tell me what happened, who died?', she prompted, but all that happened was Slater trying to hold her even tighter.

'Come on Slater, lets go and sit down', Jessie pulled herself out of his embrace and led him to the sofa where they had been fooling around just a short while before.

'Tell me what happened', Jessie encouraged putting her arm back round him, but Slater still couldn't bring himself to talk.

'Want some Coffee?', she asked, but all he did was shake his head no.

'Brandy then?', Jessie was sure there was some somewhere from when they had people over for dinner, which wasn't that often these days as they were both so busy.

Jessie was even more surprised when the teetotal Slater nodded at the suggestion of brandy. She got up and found the brandy in their drinks cabinet and poured a large one each for Slater and herself.

'Here, drink this, it will make you feel a bit more calm. Then you can tell me what happened.'

Jessie took a large sip of her own brandy, she had a feeling it was going to be a long night.

After he finished sipping his glass, it had helped Slater calm down a little and he was finally able to speak.

'Oh Jessie, it was the phone call I've been dreading for so long. Janine's dead, killed by a landmine', then he was clinging to Jessie again, the reality of what he had just said kicking in .

'I'm so sorry Slater', Jessie held back her own tears for her friend and sister in-law, she had to be strong for Slater right now, who was quite clearly falling to bits.

'Did your parents want us to go over?'

'Dad said there isn't any point tonight, he gave Mum one of his sleeping pills and its not like we can do anything tonight anyway. Not that anything can be done, she's dead Jessie, my kid sisters dead. I always knew this would happen, we should never have let her go there.'

'You would never have stopped her Slater, we went through all that.'

'Dad said its probably going to be on the news, but I don't think I can handle watching it right now.'

'I think you need another brandy', Jessie poured Slater another large measure, hoping being a teetotaller it would knock him out so he was able to get some sleep. He wasn't going to be much help to his parents in the morning otherwise.

'I think we need to try and get some sleep, tomorrow is going to be a long day.'

'I couldn't sleep if I tried.'

'Let me top your brandy up some more, then maybe you won't have to try.'

They took their brandy's through to the bedroom and sipped them sat on the bed and the extra large one Jessie had poured Slater finally did knock him out and the brandy she had poured for herself helped her sleep too.

Jessie woke before the alarm as usual, while Slater was still asleep she went to make some herbal tea for herself and some strong coffee for Slater. She was dreading having to wake him up to the reality of the devastating news of the night before.

While she thought about it, Jessie made a quick phone call to Zack and Kelly and told them the news of Janine's death.

'It was on the news last night', Zack told her 'Though obviously they didn't name anyone at the time. They just said a female member of the US military personnel had been killed by a landmine while off duty.'

'After we heard last night, Slater said he couldn't take watching the news. We are going over to his parents this morning, obviously neither of us will be going in to work. I'll let you know if we find out anymore.'

Jessie put the phone down and Slater appeared from the bedroom, at least she hadn't had to go and wake him up.

'I made you some strong coffee.'

'Thanks, I'll have that and then I guess we had better get over to Mum and Dad's place.'

'Okay, I'll drive, you had way too much brandy last night.'

Martin Slater was waiting for them at the door when they pulled in to the drive. He still looked totally dazed , trying to come to terms with the fact his daughter was gone and that he would never see her alive again.

'Come on in, you two, there is some things I have to tell you.'

Slater's Mum had prepared tea and coffee for them all when they sat down and then his Dad started to speak.

'After I got off the phone with you last night Slater, I received another call. It appears the son of an old army friend of mine is serving in the same area that Janine was in. David and Janine were friends. David phoned to tell me that Janine had gone AWOL two days before she was killed. Now I know that is not like Janine, but there is more to it than that. It was David that found her body while out on an exercise. She had been wearing a burkkha , but underneath she had been wearing her forces uniform, even though she was AWOL. David also tells me the area Janine was found in was known to be dangerous for landmines and all personnel had been warned not to go in the area, except on specific orders and with supervision. It makes me wonder what Janine was doing there, what was she up too?'

'What does it matter Dad? She's still dead', Slater said angrily.

'Martin, you need to tell them the other part of all this ', Slater's Mum urged.

'Oh yes, because of the fact that Janine was AWOL at the time of the death, it is looking highly unlikely she will be able to have a military funeral, despite all her years devoted service.'

'Gee's , this just gets better and better', Slater kicked the coffee table, his anger rising again.

'Son, getting angry won't bring her back. Anyway, her body is being flown home in a few days and then we can make arrangements for the funeral whichever way it goes.'

Martin Slater then went back over to his wife who was sobbing again and Jessie decided it was best they leave them alone for a while.

'We will be in touch later. Call us if you need anything?', Jessie said as Slater hugged his parents goodbye.

'You okay?', Jessie asked as she started up the car.

'Jessie, can you drop me at the main gym please?'

'Your going in to work?'

'Yes, but not to work. I'm going in to workout. I am so angry, I need to take it out on the machines and weights.'

'Okay, in that case I might go in to work myself for a bit. You want me to pick you up in a couple of hours?'

Slater only nodded as he got out of the car and walked in to the gym.

When Jessie arrived at her office, her secretary brought her some herbal tea and a pile of documents she needed to look at.

'I thought you would have been in early today.'

'That was the plan, but I found out last night my sister in-law died. My husband isn't taking it well at all, as you would expect, but he decided to go to the gym and workout, so I thought I may as well come in and do a couple of hours work here.'

'I'm really sorry Mrs Spano-Slater.'

'I keep telling you to call me Jessie, my old secretary did, I prefer it.'

'Okay Jessie, how old was your sister in-law?'

'Thirty-three, she was in the army, in Afghanistan, killed by a landmine.'

'Oh there was a story about that on the news this morning, so sad.'

'Slater and I haven't seen any of the news reports yet. Slater said he wasn't ready to handle it, though I doubt he will be able to avoid it now, the TV's are on all the time in the gym. I think I am going to watch it now , get it over with.'

Jessie flicked on the twenty four hour news channel on her office TV and finally watched the latest report on Janine's death.

The media did their own take on the story, implying that Janine had decided she couldn't take army life in the most dangerous country in the world anymore and had decided to runaway and blend in with the locals until she could escape home.

'What a lot of total and utter rubbish. Janine volunteered out there before her leave from the army was up and she volunteered to resume her army job out there so she could still volunteer in her spare time. I hate the media. Janine's story was worthy enough without them having to make all that up. Slater is going to be so mad when he sees that. You know what Lissy, I can't work anymore today, not after seeing that. Why don't you take the rest of the day off too?'

'Okay , if you are sure.'

'I'm sure, you are well on top of things here.'

When she got back to the gym, Jessie didn't see Slater outside so she went and sat in the reception area to wait for him.

'Hey Jessie', it was Kevin Sampson and he was with Cynthia Larson.

'Hey Kevin, Hey Cynthia, how is the filming going?'

'Great, but I'm taking time out today, I need to workout, to keep my body in tip top shape for the movie.'

'It looks exceptional enough to me', Kevin told Cynthia and put his arm around her.

Jessie had a feeling this wasn't the time to ask how things were between Cynthia and Dan.

Finally Slater emerged in to the reception area.

'Feel any better?'

'No, not after seeing that latest news report.'

'I saw it too. It's disgusting they made Janine out to be a coward, she was a hero Slater. How could they describe her as anything else when you think of all the work she did out there voluntarily?'

'Right now, I just wish she had been an ordinary woman, with a steady safe career, then maybe I would still have my kid sister, come on lets go.'

Slater slammed his way through the gym turn styles without even acknowledging Kevin and his latest bimbo.

'You want anything to eat later', Jessie asked when they got home, opening the fridge door and noticing how empty it was, seeing as they were hardly ever home to eat.

'No', Slater said in a still agitated voice as he loaded his workout clothes in to the washing machine and switched it on.

'Slater, remember what your Dad said, being angry won't bring her back.'

Jessie tried to pull Slater towards her, but he pushed her away.

'Don't Jessie, leave me alone okay', Slater took his soda and went and slammed the bedroom door behind him, something he hadn't done since he was a teenager at home.

Jessie sat back down at the kitchen counter and burst in to tears of her own. She hadn't known Janine that well, but they had always got on and had a good time together. She had never had a sister, but when Janine had become her sister in-law, she was looking forward to getting to know her better, but that was never going to happen now.

And Slater she knew, was quite clearly devastated and didn't know what to do. At the moment being angry was obviously his way of handling things, even though she knew that wouldn't help him or anyone else and neither did she have any idea how to help him come to terms with Janine's sudden untimely death either.

When Jessie dried her eyes, she decided it best to leave Slater alone as he had asked and got on with going through some papers she had brought home from the office. For a couple of hours even she was able to forget what had happened as she got lost in the world of divorce law.

Suddenly she realised she was hungry and that she hadn't eaten a thing since they had heard about Janine. She ordered her and Slater's regular dishes from the Chinese take away. If Slater didn't want his, she would just throw it away. When it arrived, she felt silly knocking on her own bedroom door, but she did anyway.

'Slater, I got us some food from the Chinese if you want some.'

She opened the door to find Slater sat cross legged on the bed, just staring at the wall.

'You want me to bring it in here for you?'

'No thanks, I'll eat in the lounge with you.'

'Okay, I'll see you in a minute then.'

Jessie headed back towards the door.

'Jessie wait', Slater got up off the bed 'I'm sorry, I didn't meant to take my anger out on you. You forgive me?'

'There's nothing to forgive Slater, you've just lost your sister. Are you going to push me away again if I try and hug you?'

'What does this tell you?', Slater pulled Jessie tight in to his arms like he was clinging on for life itself.

They didn't switch the TV on while they ate and Jessie also switched off the classical radio station she had been listening to while she was working. Neither of them wanted to hear anymore news bulletins at that moment.

'Jessie, this Chinese food is amazing.'

'Prepared my usual way, especially for you, by picking up the telephone and placing the order.'

'Jessie, you can make me smile even at the worst of times. I think I had better call and apologise to Mum and Dad for my carry on this morning too, that was the last thing they needed.'

'I'm sure they'll understand.'

'I just wish I knew why she went AWOL like that.'

'So do I, but I guess we will never know.'


	5. Chapter 5

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Five

Lisa's Celebrating

Lisa was in Paris and she was celebrating in style. She had just one the prestigious award of the worlds best fashion designer for the tenth year in a row. Lisa had been surprised with all the up and coming talent, but her designs were still the best loved.

Having left Sheila to take Crystal back to their hotel after the awards ceremony, Darren was going to treat Lisa to a later dinner to celebrate.

Now they were walking along hand in hand along the path by the Seine.

'Ten years at the top Lisa, no one has ever achieved that before. Next time you will be up for the lifetime achievement award, I bet you.'

'Don't be silly Darren, I'm only in my thirties.'

'Okay, so they call it that Lisa, but its not really about age, its about what you've achieved and you are up there with them all, even if you don't have quite as flamboyant lifestyle.'

'I'll leave that to the likes of Berry Dawson thank you very much. I still can't believe I got that award again though.'

'It has been your most successful year ever. I'm proud of you and I hope you are more than proud of yourself too.'

'I am, but you know how I never stop. I've got some big plans for the Christmas party season this year as you know.'

'Here we are, its my favourite restaurant in Paris. I first came here on a trip in college and I always said I would bring my wife here one day.'

'But Darren, we aren't married.'

'We are as good as and if we just carried on living the way we do, would you consider marrying me?'

'You know what, I think I would', Lisa smiled at him.

'In that case, will you marry me?'

'I would love too Darren.'

'Lets eat to celebrate then and then we will have to find some time to go and get you an engagement ring.'

As they ate their dinner, Lisa thought about herself and how part of her had changed since Crystal was born. She had never thought she would want to marry anyone, but being with Darren had changed that. And when Darren was home, she found she enjoyed family life like she had never thought she would. When he was in Chicago, she worked a lot, but she missed him and was always glad when he arrived home, even if sometimes it was only a few days before he had to go flying off again. And besides, Darren only kept five pairs of shoes in LA and she knew he would never ask to share her shoe closet.

'What are you smiling at?' Darren asked.

'I was just thinking how it's a good job you don't have many shoes in LA and that it's a good job you won't ever need to ask to share my shoe closet.'

'And just how many shoes does Crystal have already?'

'I've lost count', Lisa admitted 'I'll have to get her, her own shoe closet for her first birthday. I'm just kidding, besides, you brought her two pairs back from Chicago.'

'I know, what can I say, I love my daughter, I lover her Mother and I know her Mother loves shoes, so I'm presuming Crystal will one day too.'

'Darren, do you not get fed up of all the commuting to Chicago?'

'Not at all. I'm used to it now. It has been nice to have a couple of months away here in Europe though and to be with you and Crystal all the time.'

'It has, hasn't it, though it will also be nice to get home and see everyone.'

In the two months they had been in Europe, they had been to Spain , where Lisa had a fashion show in Madrid and then gone out to Majorca for a quiet break in the north of the island. Then they had gone on to London where Lisa had done two more fashion shows and three television interviews. Then they had spent some time down at the far end of Cornwall at a luxury hotel near Lands End. And finally they had come to France for the prestigious awards ceremony in Paris.

'So , same time next year?', Darren asked as they got up to leave the restaurant.

'Lets hope so, I've got to keep up the tradition of all this award winning after all.'

'That's my girl.'

Back at the hotel Sheila had put Crystal to bed a couple of hours before.

'You guys are so lucky. Crystal is such a good baby, she is the best I've ever looked after and I'm not just saying that.'

'Thanks Sheila', Lisa smiled proudly thinking of her daughter.

'Oh, by the way there was a message for you while you were out. It was from your friend Zack. He said please can you call him before you flight home tomorrow and that its important.'

'Okay, I'll call him now.' Lisa had completely forgotten about the time difference, but whatever time it was at home in LA, Zack picked up the phone straight away anyway.

'Lisa, I 'm glad you called. I didn't want to ruin your holiday time, especially with the awards ceremony. I saw it on the TV by the way, congratulations. I know you don't watch or listen to the news or anything yourself while your away, but listen Lisa, a couple of days ago, we got some really bad news……………..' , Zack told Lisa all he knew about Janine's death.

'Oh my god, how is Slater taking it?'

'Absolutely terrible according to Jessie. Apparently Slater is just angry and won't talk much.'

'I always liked Janine, she was lovely.'

When Lisa got off the phone with Zack, she told Darren all about what had happened. She hadn't known Janine that well but a couple of shopping trips when Janine was home from school on vacation had been fun. And she had got to know the grown up Janine a little at Slater and Jessie's wedding, headstrong and determined . Lisa was thinking the same that Zack had said, it was probably precisely that , that had killed her in the end.

It was such a shame their vacation had ended with bad news, but it made Lisa want to get back home as soon as possible, her friends needed her.

'When we get home, lets go and visit Jessie and Slater as soon as we are over the jetlag.'

'Sure, but the first thing I have to do when we get home is go and buy you an engagement ring. I'm not looking forward to going back to Chicago at all, but work calls.'

Darren was still looking forward to a few days at home before he had to go back to Chicago. They got a nice surprise when they did arrive back at LAX, Zack and Kelly and the kids and Screech and Jessie were there to welcome them home.

Lisa gave all her friends a great big hug and then they all made a fuss over Crystal as well.

'Sorry Slater couldn't make it. He has gone with his parents to finalise the arrangements for Janine's funeral.'

'That's fine, I understand. We are going to come over and see you guys before Darren has to go back to Chicago on Friday anyway.'

'Bring Crystal, seeing his goddaughter might cheer him up.'

'At least he's got you Jessie.'

'He won't even talk about it, except for the practical stuff. It is like he is just dazed and trying to deny it all.'

'Maybe getting the funeral over with will help.'

'I hope so . I hate seeing him like this and Lisa I don't know what to do.'

'You've just got to be there Jessie, that's all. Here', Lisa took Crystal from Sheila and handed her to Jessie 'Give your goddaughter a welcome home hug.'

Jessie couldn't believe how much bigger Crystal had got in just a couple of months.

'Oh and we do have some good news', Darren announced proudly 'Lisa and I are finally going to get married.'

'That's great, congratulations', Kelly walked over and hugged her friend.

They all went for a coffee together in the lounge at the airport and then they all had to go their separate ways. Kelly and Zack had to take Ben to junior orchestra and Sophie to her friends and Screech had to pick up Paul from a weekend squash tournament he was playing in and Jessie had promised to meet Slater back at his parents house.

'Thanks for coming to meet us, we've really missed you guys. It's good to be home, despite everything, Jessie, ring me , okay.'

'Thanks Lisa.'

'And don't you guys have something else to tell me? Didn't Ben try out for a certain prestigious music school while we were away?'

'Why don't you tell them how you did yourself Ben?', Zack urged his son.

'I got a scholarship, all the way through to the end of senior year of high school.'

'That's great Ben, so how is your sophomore year winding up Sophie?'

'Great and I'm going to the end of year dance with Paul, just as friends of course. I'm looking forward to it.'

'And how about you Zack, looking forward to finally being a fully fledged teacher next term?'

'You bet.'

Later that night while Lisa and Darren slept off their jetlag and Sheila took care of Crystal, Kelly went to work her late shift at the hospital that came round every so often, Zack went over to see if Jessie and Slater were back from his parents, before he had to pick the kids back up from their evening activities.

Slater answered the door to Zack.

'Slater, you look terrible.'

'I feel terrible Zack, come on in.'

'It didn't go well with the funeral arrangements I take it.'

'No it was awful. They finally came to a decision and it wasn't what we wanted to hear. Janine can't have a military funeral. They only flew her body home as a goodwill gesture. But technically she was AWOL and had no intention of going back when she was killed. They checked the office where she worked and her living quarters, she had cleaned out all her belongings, but no one knows why, not even her friend David, who my parents have been talking too a lot.'

'So what's happening with the funeral now?'

'My parents arranged it all today. I'm not sure who is the most angry , me or my Dad. Mum just wouldn't stop crying, but its all arranged now. It's a week from today at the local church and then the burial at the cemetery . She is going to be buried in the family plot next to my grandparents.'

'At least you will finally be able to say goodbye.'

'It's going to be so difficult Zack, I'm not sure I can. Until I met you guys, Janine was the only real friend I ever had before we came to LA. We moved around way too much to ever become close friends with anyone.'

'I can't ever imagine what that was like Slater. Even though I'm an only child, I always remember having friends around, Jessie was always right next door.'

'I always felt I had to take care of her, especially when Dad was away and some of the things she got up to in boarding school even my parents don't know about and I could never tell them , not even now, it would kill them. She was always the favourite, but it never bothered me. I bailed her out twice while she was in boarding school Zack, once when she was a sophomore and got in with the wrong crowd. She ran away from school and I covered for her so my parents never found out about it. And then what does she do right before high school graduation, gets herself involved with some married guy whose wife finds out, I had to go and sort it all out with them and threaten them both to leave her alone in the future. I missed a big college wrestling match because she phoned me begging me to come and sort it all out for her because she didn't know what to do. I always felt I had to look after her. I just can't believe she's gone. I guess that makes me an only child now too.'

'I can't tell you what its like not to have a sister Slater because I never had one. But Slater, we are all here for you, you know that, don't you?'

'Thanks Buddy'.

'I guess I had better go and pick those kids of mine up, I'll see you soon okay.'

Slater shut the door realising how lucky he was to have such great friends that were always there for him. The trouble was he couldn't tell anyone how he was feeling, not even Jessie. Until earlier , he had thought he was over the angry stage, but now he knew he wasn't and when he wasn't feeling angry , he just felt numb, like he had just been going through the motions helping his parents arrange Janine's funeral and going in to work each day. He did know one thing though, he still wasn't ready to face up to the reality of Janine's death, which was another reason he was absolutely dreading the funeral.


	6. Chapter 6

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Six

A Chance Meeting For Screech.

Screech was sat watching Paul at squash practice yet again. Every Saturday morning Screech brought his son here to play and to watch him. But at least now he had made more friends in school and at the sports centre he didn't nag Screech to play with him anymore and for that he was grateful.

Today Paul had arranged to play with Martin Belding and Screech knew enough about squash by now to know that his son was thrashing Martin big time. Now it was easy to see how Paul had beat him off for a place in the state schools championship.

While he watched Paul continue to beat Martin he began thinking about the end of year school dance he was still only halfway through organising, until he was interrupted.

'You mind if I set here?', a woman about his own age asked him.

'Sure, but this step isn't very comfortable, it just has the best view of the squash court through the glass.'

'I know, that's why I want to sit here. My daughter is due to play on court number two next.'

'My son is just finishing his game in there now. I get to sit here and watch him play every Saturday morning, though trust me, I would rather be watching than playing.'

'Me too, I'm not really one for sport, but my daughter is sports mad. I'm Nicola by the way', she extended her hand and Screech turned and saw for the first time just how attractive this woman was.'

'Mines, Sam, Samuel, but my friends call me Screech.'

'What?'

'It's just an old high school nickname I never shook off. It's a long story. I've never seen you here before.'

'I just moved to Pallisades with my daughter. This is the first time we've come here on a Saturday. My daughter has some made friends with some other kids that play. We've come from San Francisco. My husband died a year ago and Josie and I decided it was time to move on and make a fresh start.'

'I'm sorry, but I know how you feel. I lost the love of my life last year too, though we weren't together for a long time, but that again is another long story.'

'You sound like you have lots of stories to tell.'

'Like you wouldn't believe', Screech grinned.

Just then Paul and Martin's time on the court was up and they came out of the glass door to head for the showers.

'See you in a minute Dad.'

Screech was hoping that for once Paul would take his time in the showers.

'There's my daughter now.'

Screech looked to see a gurl with blonde curly hair about Paul's age enter the squash court with one of the kids he recognised that Paul sometimes played with.

'I hope she gets on the team when she starts her new school. A new school is going to be tough enough for her, but squash is her life.'

'That sounds like Paul my son all over. He has just been selected for the state schools team.'

'That's great. Listen, I know we've only just meant, but Sam, would you like to meet me here for coffee next Saturday while the kids practice?'

'I would love too.' Screech was unable to believe his luck.

Nicola appeared to be the nicest woman he had meant in a long time. In fact, she was the only woman he had met in a long time. There wasn't much time for dating these days, so the only women he usually met were parents of the kids at school and they were often far from friendly if their child was in trouble.

'Here's Paul, So Nicola, see you here at ten next Saturday morning?'

'Sure, you can count on it, I'll meet you right here.' She smiled at him as he made for the exit with Paul.

Screech had offered to drop Martin home as well, seeing as Martin didn't yet have a car of his own.

'I can't wait to get a car of my own', Martin said climbing in to the backseat.'

'You could always work in the school store with Paul to put money towards a car. There's another vacancy in there now. Paul works there to get extra cash for his squash equipment.'

'That's another thing, Mum and Dad also told me I've got to put some more money towards my squash gear too now.'

'You can start in the school store in the fall.'

'I guess I had better if I want to save for a car and keep on playing squash.'

'Good, that's one thing sorted. Now, about the end of year dance. It's only a few weeks away and there's still not enough people on the committee. In fact to be honest all I have is two seniors organising the decorations and food and I really had to skimp on the music, but one of the school bands is going to play live.'

'Dad are you saying you want us to join the committee?'

'No I wouldn't dream of that with your practice schedule. I want you to persuade some of your friends to join the committee. After all, this dance is for all of you, some people have to make an effort for it. They don't just happen on there own, I know, I got roped in to enough when I was in school.'

Once home and Paul was settled doing his homework he had to catch up on, Screech couldn't help but phone Zack and tell him about his meeting at the sports centre squash courts.

'Its about time you started dating again Screech. I mean how long has it been since you and Melinda split?'

'Long enough for me not to care anymore. And I wouldn't exactly call it dating, Nicola and I are only meeting for coffee.'

'And who knows where that will lead. Good luck to you Screech.'

'Thanks Zack. So big moment coming up for Ben then, graduating elementary school.'

'I have one excited son on my hands. Though I think he is more excited about playing solo at the ceremony and they already told him he has won the musci award.'

'That's great. Is he looking forward to going away to school?'

'He is, he talks about nothing else. They can teach him so much more with his music there than an ordinary school can. I'm not looking forward to him going though, I'll really miss having him around and Kelly looks at the calendar dreading the day as it gets closer.'

'But there is still a couple of weeks left of this semester and summer vacation to get through.'

'Yes, but the school starts back earlier than the state schools, Ben will be leaving here mid-August and the last week of July he will be away at music camp anyway. It's for his future, but its still going to be tough Screech. I think I will even miss _Waltz of the _Flamin'_flowers._'

'We will just have to make sure it's a fun summer for the kids. Talking of which are you and Kelly coming to the sports fun day Saturday after next at Bayside?'

'We wouldn't miss it for the world Screech. Besides I have to see if I can still beat you in the egg and spoon race', Zack joked with his friend.

'Very funny Zack. Anyway I thought I would do something different this year, no silly races. I thought we might have a fun softball match, Bayside old boys and girls versus current students. No limit on team numbers, forget the rules, anyone can have a go, it will be a real fun end to the school year.'

'Count us in for that Screech. So on a sadder note, is it all sorted for us to attend Janine's funeral?'

'Yes, I've sorted cover for the whole day, nothing the new vice principal can't handle.'

'I thought he wasn't taking up his post until the fall.'

'He isn't, but Mr Underdown said he wanted to come in for a few days and get the feel of the place, so its worked out well that we can both be away from school the same time that day. You spoken to Slater lately?'

'Yes, but he still isn't talking much. Jessie came over after work the other day, she really doesn't know what to do and to be honest, neither do I. I just hope getting the funeral over with helps.'

'Me too. I guess I had better go Zack. I got the dance to organise.'

'Catch you later Screech.'

But when Screech took his papers out of his desk to go over the allocation of budgets for the dance all he could think of was Nicola. No one had affected him like this in a long time, to be honest, not since he had met Linda all those years ago. He wished he had taken her phone number now as he didn't want to have to wait a whole week to see her again. He didn't know her surname and besides she was new in town , so she would be most unlikely to be in the listed numbers yet anyway. Then he had another idea, he knew it would be a long shot, but it would be worth it.

'Paul', he called up the stairs 'Are you playing squash at the sports centre again tomorrow?'

'Yes, but not until the afternoon. The local amateur club hog all the courts on Sunday mornings.'

'Okay, I might just stay and watch again.' Screech was just hoping Nicola was there again if her daughter was as squash mad as she said. _Suddenly I love squash, like I never thought I would_, Screech thought to himself.

What Screech couldn't know was that Nicola Astley had just had a very similar conversation with her daughter, because she didn't want to wait a week to see Sam again either. She just hoped he would be there again, though it seemed highly likely considering his son was such a dedicated squash player.

'Of course I 'm playing tomorrow Mum, the sports centre's the only place I've made friends since I got here. I arranged to meet Jenny at two for a match, we got the court booked.'

'We've only been here two weeks Josie. Besides you wil make lots of new friends when you start your new school in the fall.'

'I've got the whole summer vacation to get through first Mum.'

'Don't worry Josie, I have a feeling you and I will both be spending a lot of time at the sports centre.'

'Mum, you hate squash and sport in general. I think its time you started dating again.'

'That's exactly what I was thinking', Nicola smiled at her sixteen year old daughter, with a feeling everything was going to work out with their move here after all.

For the first time ever Screech was ready to leave for the sports centre before Paul had even finished sorting his sports bag and raquet out.

'Gee's Dad, anyone would think you were the one that had a game on.'

When they got to the sports centre Paul met straight up with one of his friends from another school that was also on the state schools team that he had arranged a match with and Screech went to take his usual spot, only to discover Nicola already sitting there.

'I was hoping I would see you again today', she told him.

'Me too' , Screech sat down next to her 'So do you want to go and get a coffee? I'm sure the kids will be too involved in their matches to really miss us.'

'Lets go', Nicola led the way to the sports centre café and Screech ordered their coffee's.

'I guess I should start by asking your full name'.

'Its Nicola Astley.'

'So Nicola Astely, what do you do for a living?'

'Well , until Fred, Josie's father died, I was a flight attendant, but obviously I couldn't continue that after he was gone as I wanted to be home at night for Nicola. I got a job witnessing in a day time café and I hated every minute of it. Now I work near LAX in the head office of the airline I used to work for. It's not exciting or glamorous , trust me. I spend most of my time sending letters inviting potential flight attendants to come for interviews, or more often than not, telling them their application was unsuccessful. But the hours are good, Eight to Five, Monday to Friday, so I can be around for Josie. Fred was a self employed photographer so when I was away he was always around for Josie. How about you anyway?'

'I'm high school principal. I started out teaching chemistry and physics.'

'I had a feeling you might have been a mad scientist or something.'

'I guess I could have been.'

'So what about Paul's Mother?'

'Deceased, she was the love of my life I was talking about yesterday.'

'What did she do?'

'Did you ever hear the name Linda Addington?'

'The tennis player that died last year?'

'Then I guess you know what she did.'

'I guess that explains your sons mean streak with a racquet.'

'He is good at all sports, but he is a far better squash player than a tennis player. I've learn a lot about my son since he walked in to my life………………….', Screech then told Nicola his extraordinary story of how had never known Paul had existed until after Linda's death.

'That's so sad, but I can tell you are a gread Dad, even if you did have a bit of a late start. Fred and I were college sweethearts too. Fred quit college to set up his photography business. We got married when I was a sophomore and had, just had Josie. I had full intention to go back, but I never did. Fred's business was doing well, so I stayed home with Josie for a couple of years. Then I got my job at the airline and I'd been a purser for ten years the time I had to stop flying after Fred died. I kind of miss it, but its also nice to be home more. Would you like another coffee?'

'Sure. And would you like to go to the movies with me tonight?'

'I would love too. Josie said she is coming here again tonight with some friends she has made, so I don't have to worry about her. Anyway , she is sixteen now, quite old enough to be left to her own devices for an evening.'

'Paul too, he turns sixteen at the end of August. And at least I don't have to worry about him finishing his homework this weekend because he finished it last night.'

'So Josie is not the only one I have trouble getting to do homework then?'

'No way, it's a common problem, trust me. The amount of kids coming to me with detention slips proves that fact. Now you should meet a kid called Sophie Morris, she is my best friends kid and the only kid I know that moans she don't get enough homework. She is definitely and exception to the rule and nothing like her Dad, who avoided homework at all costs in school.'

'Whats your school called?'

'Its Bayside High.'

'I don't believe it. That is where Josie is going.'

'Of course, Josie Astley. I thought I had seen that name on the transfer admissions list for the fall. She will be in the same junior class as Paul.'

'Maybe we could introduce them before school starts.'

'It looks like they already are', Screech spotted Josie and Paul walking towards them.

'Dad, I thought I would find you here.'

'Mum, this is Paul, we just met signing up for the junior squash tournament here.'

'And this is his Father, Sam, we met while watching the two of you play squash. Why don't you two sit down and have a coffee with us?'

'I can't Mum, Jason has asked me for pizza with him and then we are coming back here this evening for swimming. Jason said he can drop me home tonight. You don't mind do you Mum?'

'Not at all, as long as your home by eleven, it is a school night Saturday after all. Besides, Sam here has offered to take me to the movies tonight, so I'll be out myself.'

'See you later Mum.'

'So what are you up to tonight Paul?', Screech asked.

'Sophie wants me to go over and help her with her chemistry experiment. I thought it might help me too, you know how rubbish I am at science. And Zack said he will drop me home.'

'Okay and home by eleven for you as well by the way.'

'I'll be home long before then, Sophie always goest to bed by ten because she likes to get to school early on Monday's to meet her science geek friends.'

'Hey, son, do you mind, I was a science geek.'

'Just kidding Dad.'

Later on, their teenage kids safely out of the way doing their own thing Screech and Nicola met at the movie theatre.

'Sorry Nicola, I forgot to ask, what type of movies do you like?'

'Anything really, though I think I would quite like to watch something funny.'

'Me too, I think there is a couple of good comedies on, lets have a look.'

They picked a movie that had got rave reviews and Screech went and bought the popcorn and soda. It was a good movie, but when it was over, neither of them wanted to part company.

'How about a later dinner?', Screech suggested.

'Perfect, I was way too nervous to eat earlier.'

'You don't need to be nervous around me.'

'I know that now. You are so unlike anyone I ever met and I mean that in a nice way.'


	7. Chapter 7

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Seven.

Their Toughest Day Yet

Slater woke to what he knew was going to be the worst day of his life yet, Jessie woke to what she knew was going to be one of the most difficult days of hers.

Jessie pulled her best black suit out of the wardrobe and got dressed. She thought about making breakfast, but then realised she was in no mood to eat. She did make some coffee for Slater though, just in case he wanted some. They were due at his parents place in an hour.

Eventually Slater came through to the kitchen dressed in his own best black suit that he always wore for business meetings. He poured himself a coffee and sat down at the kitchen counter without saying a word.

'Slater, your feel better once the funeral is over.'

'No I won't Jessie, what a stupid thing to say.'

'I'm sorry Slater, I just don't know what else to say.'

'You don't have to say anything, it works for me.'

'But its not doing you any good Slater.'

'Oh , just quit it with the counselling routine Jessie. You can't know how I feel , nobody can.'

'Maybe not, but I do know what its like to lose someone close to you.'

'That's different , your Father's death was expected. You had a chance to say goodbye and your Father lived to a reasonable age.'

'I know its not the same, but at least you will get the chance to see a final goodbye to Janine today.'

'That's the problem Jessie, I'm not sure I'm ready too. I don't want to have to say goodbye.'

'You are going to have to Slater.'

Jessie had had to nag Slater to go and pick out a reef from the florist. Eventually he had picked out the most expensive , prettiest Sister one they had , wrote a quick message for the card and then he had adruptly left the shop leaving Jessie to pay.

Slater poured himself another strong black coffee.

'It's times like this I wish I was a drinker.'

'There is still some brandy left if you want one.'

'No, getting in to bad habits isn't a good idea. I've got a college wrestling team to start coaching again in the fall.'

'Slater , its quarter past, we need to get going. You ready?'

'I'll never be ready for this, not ever.'

Jessie picked up the car keys as a hint, but Slater didn't move. Then she noticed he was staring at one of the pictures from their wedding day on the wall, him and Janine stood together.

'Slater, we need to get going.'

Finally Slater stood up, still staring at the picture of his sister on the wall.

'I just can't believe I'm never going to see her again Jessie. As much as I pretend it hasn't happened, make myself numb, so as not to feel it, it has, hasn't it. She is really gone isn't she', suddenly the tears he had held back for so long were falling freely down his face.

'Yes Slater, She's really gone', Jessie held him close in her arms 'You've got to say goodbye today Slater.'

'I don't want too Jessie', Slater glanced at the picture of his kid sister again, as the tears continued to fall.

'I love you', Jessie comforted him ,not knowing what else to say 'We've really got to get going you know.'

'I'm not sure how I'm going to get through this Jessie', Slater said drying his eyes.

'It's just a case of having to Slater', Jessie took his hand as they walked down to the car, Jessie relieved Slater had finally broken down. Never having had a real brother or sister of her own, she could only imagine how much he was hurting, especially given the strange circumstances of Janine's death.

They arrived at the Slater household just before the funeral cars. Jessie squeezed Slaters hand as they watched the undertakers load the reefs in to the car around Janine's coffin. Then Slater went over and hugged both his parents.

'Mum, Dad, I'm sorry the way I've been. I just didn't want to accept she was gone.'

'It's okay son, we all have our own way of dealing with things', his Dad reassured him.

Then it was time to go and they sat in the car in silence all the way to the church, Jessie stroking Slater's arm, his parents comforting each other. When they did arrive at the church, Jessie was relieved to see all their friends there. There was also lots of people she didn't recognise, though she gathered a lot of them to be army friends and some old school friends of Janine's.

The vicar had spent a lot of time with the Slater's the past few weeks , so he could give a really personal view of what Janine had been like, even though he hadn't known her. Though he now knew, she had been one extraordinary woman.

Slater spent most of the time during the service staring at the most recent picture of Janine on top of the coffin. It was the last one that had been taken of her when she had been home at Christmas and new year. Even then he had dreaded never seeing her again and now it had become a tragic reality.

As they got up to sing the hymns Janine had loved as a kid in school, Jessie continued to hold his hand tight and for that he was grateful, because he knew he was about to fall to pieces all over again.

After Martin Slater got up and spoke a few words about his daughter, the vicar invited anyone up that wanted to say a few words about Janine and the first was a lady no one recognised. It turned out she was a represnetative from the charity Janine had worked for and she spoke about all the selfless work Janine had done. Then another man got up in military uniform. It turned out to be her friend David who had arrived home a few days ago.

'I'd never met anyone quite like Janine. She didn't care about the awful living conditions or the primitive way of life, she just wanted to make peoples lives better', then tears formed at the proud military mans cheeks and he went to sit back down, unable to say no more.

Finally , Slater felt ready to get up and say something.

'My parents always told me to look out for my kid sister and I did, long after we weren't kids no more and she always nagged me for it. I'm only sorry I couldn't save her this time. I never wanted her to go and volunteer in a dangerous country, but at least I know now her work wasn't in vain. I'm proud of her and what she achieved in her tragically cut short life. Goodbye little sis, I'll miss you forever.'

Slater managed to hold back more tears until he sat back down next to Jessie, now crying herself, she noticed there wasn't a dry eye anywhere as they got up to sing the last hymn and left the church for the cemetery and the commital.

After the vicar was done and Janine's coffin was layed in to the ground, everyone else started to disperse, leaving only Slater and his parents to say their final goodbye. Jessie had moved to by a tree a few feet away, leaving the family alone together for the last time. Then her parents in-law both moved away leaving Slater standing there alone.

'I love you Janine, you got in to some scrapes at times, but you were the best kid sister anyone could have had', Jessie heard him say and then finally he began to walk away and Jessie met him back on the path.

'That was the hardest thing I ever had to do Jessie.'

'I know. Come on, the cars are waiting to take us back to the house. What you said about Janine, it was beautiful. I knew you could do it.'

'I couldn't have done it without you. I know I haven't been easy to live with. I guess I should apologise to you too.'

'Forget it. It's like your Dad said Slater, we all have our own way of dealing with things.'

'Even so, I'm sorry Jessie', he pulled her in to his arms and found he was crying again.

'Slater its okay, I still love you. And I promise you, I'm not going anywhere.'

'I love you Jessie.'

They stood alone on the path a few minutes longer then made their way back to the parking lot, where there was just one car left waiting for them to take them back to his parents house.

Zack and Kelly, Lisa and Darren and Screech all came over to comfort Slater as soon as they arrived back.

'I didn't know you had this many relatives Slater', Zack looked round the crowded room.

'They are more Janine's friends and people she knew from the army than relatives.'

'And I'm one of them. I'm David. I thought it was about time I introduced myself to you properly . You know I tried to look out for your sister too, but she was one headstrong woman.'

'You don't have to tell met that.'

'No, but there is something I do have to tell you, or rather show you. It's about something I found when I was packing up to leave my quarters in Afghanistan.'

'What was it?', Slater enquired.

'This', David produced an envelope that was simply addressed _David, get this to my family if you don't hear from me._ She must have hid it in my belongings before she went AWOL. I thought it was best to wait until the funeral was over before I gave it to you. You guys had enough to get through today, so did I for that matter. I was completely in love with Janine, but I never got the chance to tell her how I felt.'

'Lets go and take a look', Slater grabbed Jessie by the hand and led her and David to what once had been Janine's bedroom. 'An appropiate place I think.'

They all sat on the single bed that hadn't been slept in since last Christmas and David handed the envelope to Slater, who then opened it and took it out for them all to read:-

_Dear Mum, Dad and Slater,_

_I'm sorry I had to leave you, but I had to do it to make someones life okay again. Someone I promised to help no matter what, even though I knew the risks of what I was about to do. I know if you are reading this, then I did not survive, but the most important thing to remember is, if I didn't , then the person I was trying to help did and that was all that mattered to me._

_Going AWOL was the only thing I could do, but I had to take my uniform, so I could be identified if anything did happen to me._

_Last Christmas I told Slater and Jessie about a lady and her children in the village not far away that I was trying to help and it was them I was desperate to save from her violent husband. I couldn't' sleep at night knowing what she was going through. She has a sister and her family in Kabul and I arranged transport to take her there through the charity. The awkward part was getting her and the kids away from the husband._

_So I told her I would go to her house and pretend to be her, while he thought the kids were in school, when really they were waiting at the charity office for her and that I would pretend to be her her when her when he got home, while they were on their way to Kabutl. After all, you can't recognise who anyone really is under a burkkha and he always made her wear one, even in the house. Then I had the plan of pretending to leave him. I knew he would try and chase me from all she had told me, but I had to plan. I had decided to run in to the vast area nearby that is known to be dangerous for landmines. I knew he would never follow me there. I was hoping I knew enough about this vast area to avoid the landmines, but obviously I did not or you wouldn't be reading this._

_Mum, Dad, Slater, I love you so much. I just hope my death wasn't in vain._

_Love you all_

_Janine_

'I just knew she was up to something', David said annoyed with himself 'She spent every minute of her spare time out at that volunteer centre.'

'I don't know what Mum and Dad are going to make of this',Slater said, his worst suspicions now confirmed, it was Janine's headstrong personality and determination that had killed her in the end.

'You want me to go and get your parents',David offered.

'Please', Slater took the letter and read it over again. 'You idiot Janine',Slater was crying angry tears again.

'Slater do you want to go home?', Jessie asked.

'I think so, I can't take anymore today.'

Just then his parents appeared with David.

'Listen, we are going to head home if that's okay', Jessie told them.

Seeing how distressed their son had become again, they nodded as David gave them Janine's letter to read.

'We will come over tomorrow night', Jessie promised them.

Both Slater and Jessie were relieved to finally be back home away from all the people.

'Coffee?', Jessie offered him , chucking the cold coffee away that was left from that morning and putting a fresh filter in.

'Actually, I think I need that brandy now after finding that out.'

'Good idea', there was just enough left in the bottle for them to have a glass each.

Slater had now taken the picture of himself and Janine off the wall and was staring at it in his hands.

'I'm not sure if I'm angry or proud or both. Not that any of it matters, she still isn't here anymore. Trust her to do something so stupid.'

'Stupid, but also heroic.'

'I know that, I just miss her so much.'

'Slater, I know how that feels. It does get better I promise you, though I know it doesn't feel like it now.'

They spent the rest of the afternoon and evening watching mindless programmes on the televsion that they had absolutely no interest in at all , both lost in their own thoughts, until an advert came on for the charity Janine had volunteered for, appealing for more funds for their work.

Jessie switched it off.

'Lets face it Slater, neither of us are really watching it and that adverts only getting you upset.'

'Okay, for once I agree with you, the television is better switched off for now. I suppose you are going to make me endure that classical radio station you like so much now'

'Not at all, I'm just going to sit here and cuddle you.'

'Jessie, you've been looking after me all day while I kept falling to pieces. Aren't you getting fed up of me?'

'Don't be silly. Of course not , Slater, its only natural. You took care of me when my Father died. You were the best, you kept me going. I'm going to do the same for you now.'

Jessie kissed him on the cheek and then the lips and for the first time since Janine had died, he didn't push her away, but passionately kissed her back.

When she pulled away , she smiled at him.

'See its amazing how much making out like teenagers can take your mind off things'.

For the first time in a long time, he was smiling back at her.

'I've missed that smile', she kissed him back, enjoying being close to him again.

This time he was the one that broke away first.

'What's wrong?'

'Nothing', he said 'But we are grown ups, not teenagers and I think we should go and finish what we just started.'

He picked her up off the sofa and carried her through to their bedroom like he had so many times before and as he shut the door behind them , just for a while, as they got lost in each other, everything was alright again.


	8. Chapter 8

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Eight.

Happier Times For Everyone

Screech felt like he had only just got the school dance out the way, when the last day of the semester finished and it was time for the fun softball match on the Saturday.

As Kelly had been the captain of the girls softball team in school, he had chosen her as the captain of the old school team. He had also invited Nicola and Josie along, so they could get to know everyone. Screech and Nicola had been going out ever since their first movie date. And fortunately Josie got on well with himself and Paul and Paul also got on well with Nicola.

He introduced them to Zack and Kelly for the first time just before the match.

'This is Zack, my lifelong best friend and this is Kelly also a long time friend. This is Sophie and this is Ben.'

Sophie and Josie immediately got in to a conversation about the best places to shop and what sports they did in school.

Lisa and Darren arrived with Crystal just as the softball match was getting under way.

'Why don't you go and and play Lisa, you used to love softball?'

'In this outfit and these heels Darren, you must be kidding, but you go on ahead.'

Darren went and joined the old school team who were currently batting.

'Hey Lisa', Jessie and Slater arrived late having both been working that morning. They were still both trying to catch up on a lot of work from the time they had , had to take off after Janine died.

'Good to see you guys, its been a while. You two going to play, go on, they need you.'

Slater and Jessie also went off to join the old school team, while Lisa had more fun watching with Crystal on her lap, the adults were desperately trying to beat the numerous kids, whose team numbers outnumbered theirs by at least twenty. And even with the late addition of Slater, the one time school sports star, the old school team hadn't a hope in hell and the kids eventually won the match.

While their kids went off with their own groups of friends, Screech introduced Nicola to the rest of the gang as they sat back down on the field together. They all took an instant liking to her, far more, they realised than they ever had for Melinda. And they loved the story of how they had met at the squash court at the sports centre.

'You all want to come to my place later?', Screech asked them 'I've got a busy summer ahead again and its been so long since we all got together.'

'Just as long as we don't have to go near your garage', Lisa said, remembering all the insects he kept in there.

'Lisa, I think you would like my garage these days, there isn't a single insect tank in there now. I got rid of them all a few months back. I just didn't have the time for them anymore.'

'About time too Screech, I am pleased to hear it.'

After Screech got the caretaker to lock the school up to the kids for the last time until the fall, they all made for Screech 's house.

'It's a nice day and I know there's enough food in for a barbecue', he suggested when they got there and they all went to sit out in his back garden.

Nicola was more than at home in Screech's house now and found some bottles of wine and sodas to take outside.

When Jessie went back inside to help Screech bring the food out, she was amazed at how well stocked his fridge was.

'My god Screech, we never have time to stock ours with hardly anything. And if we did , we wouldn't have time to eat it before it went off.'

'Here we go, grab these burgers, chicken burgers , ribs, buns', Screech piled the contents of his even more well stocked freezer in to Jessie's arms.

'I asked Zack to get the barbecue going , it should be ready now.'

Jessie took all the food out and piled it on to one of Screech's garden tables.

'Here we go Zack, lots of cooking for you to do and lots of hungry friends.'

'Trust Screech, he always ropes me into things like this', Zack laughed, he didn't mind really and he put the first lot of burgers on to the barbecue.

'So Zack are you and Kelly going away anywhere this summer?'

'Yes. The two free weeks we actually have , we are taking Sophie and Ben off to Hawaii.'

'You going to stay at the old Hideaway?'

'Of course, where else? Kelly's grandad may long have passed away, but its still the same place thanks to the people that now run it as a tourist trust.'

'I'll never forget those two weeks we all spent out there together.'

'Your going back, its been years since we all went away together.'

'No it isn't, what about our wedding?'

'That was for a special occasion and we all went off and did our own thing afterwards. I was talking about spending real holiday time together, you know, like we did back then.'

'Except I seem to recall the time we all went to Hawaii it turned out to be a working holiday in the end, though still a fun one I must admit.'

'The best bit for me was watching Lisa win the bet that you and Slater couldn't go two whole weeks without fighting.'

'Thanks, that cost us the last of our spending money and I think Lisa came back with about twenty pairs of shoes at our expense. Anyway, the highlight for me was was Screech forgetting where they buried the pig on the last night.'

'Hey, what are you guys smiling about, how are those burgers coming along preppy?'

'Just reminiscing about our little Hawaiin holiday. Zack and Kelly are going back there for their summer holiday.'

'I'm getting a crazy idea, but why don't you all come along.'

'Zack , we can't. Do you know how many divorce cases I've got coming up?'

'A lot?'

'That's an understatement.'

'Come on Slater, can't you persuade her?'

'Sorry Zack, I'm snowed under with work myself.'

'Another time then', Zack was disappointed, but it appeared nobody else had any free time to go with them.

Lisa and Darren were going to visit her parents in Florida for a couple of weeks and Screech was teaching summer school for four weeks of the break again. Nicola said it was next to impossible to get time off from the airline in the summer anyway.

'We had all better make the most of today then, it looks like it may be a while before we can all get together again.'

Jessie and Slater took their burgers and went and sat down on the patio.

'You know, maybe Zack's right Slater. I mean we don't necessarily have to go to Hawaii, but maybe we do need a holiday. Surely we can both afford to take a week out somewhere. I'm sure there must be one week when I don't have any cases going to court.'

'And I guess it wouldn't be hard to keep a week free of business meetings. Maybe your right, maybe we should get away.'

'Where would you like to go?'

'I don't know really, maybe we could go back to Hawaii and relive the memories of our youth.'

'Sounds good to me. I'm going to go and tell Zack we've changed our minds and hopefully we can get out there one of the weeks that he is.'

Zack was thrilled that Jessie and Slater had changed their mind, even if they could only manage one week, now he just had to work on Screech and Lisa.

It only took Zack and Kelly reminiscing about Hawaii with Slater and Jessie that persuaded Screech and Nicola to also go out for a week and Lisa and Darren found themselves agreeing to the same before they went off to her visit her parents in Florida. And then the old friends were all reminiscing about the time they had spent there when they were seventeen.

Nicola had left the old friends to it and went over to join Sophie and Josie who were talking about the latest books they had read.

'Josie, you know I said we still probably wouldn't be able to go away this summer, if I can somehow swing it at work, how would you like to spend a week in Hawaii?'

'I'd love too Mum. I really hope work gives you the time off.'

'And if they don't, I'm sure Sam will take you anyway. All your friends here will be there.'

Josie couldn't believe it, because of her Mum's job when she had been flying, she had never had the experience of going on vacation in the main summer holidays. She had always got jealous when her friends had told her back at school in September of all the places they had been away to on vacation, while she had been stuck home in San Francisco. Josie and Sophie immediately started making plans of what they were going to do in Hawaii, Sophie telling her about the vacations she had been on out there with her parents before.

Screech left his friends then and went over and took Nicola aside, he had something to ask her. Something , if he was honest, he had been thinking about, ever since they had met.

'Okay Nicola, you are going to think I am crazy, but no I haven't had too much to drink before you ask. Nicola, will you marry me?'

'Yes', she told him without hesitation, she had known it was right with Sam the minute they had met at the squash court.

Screech of course, had been all prepared for a rejection and started talking again immediately.

'I know its been a whirlwind romance, but I love you Nicola and I just thought……..hey, did you just say yes?'

'I sure did, I would love to marry you, as soon as possible.'

'In that case, how about we tie the knot in Hawaii.'

'Perfect and the airline will have to give me time off for my wedding. Do you think we had better break the news to the kids?'

'I guess that would be best. Paul, Josie, can you come over here a minute please?'

Josie, ever the perceptive one, looked at her grinning Mother knowingly.

'Well my guess is, you guys are either having a a baby or getting married.'

'Trust me Josie, it's the latter. Two teenagers on our hands are more than enough to handle.'

'Congratulations Dad', Paul said 'It's about time you settled down.'

Screech and Nicola then went and broke their news to everyone else, telling them to make sure they all brought a special outfit for the occasion to Hawaii with them.

Lisa was the first to hug Screech congratulations.

'Well Screech, I guess that makes me the last one of us to walk down the aisle. Darren and I aren't getting married until January. But Screech, I am so happy , you are happy again, its about time.'

'Thanks Lisa, that means a lot. Will you be my witness?'

'I would love too.'

Darren came back over to them with Crystal then, who seemed to have doubled in size yet again.

'Hey, let me spend some time with my beautiful goddaughter. I don't get to see her that often'.

'Sure', Darren put Crystal down on the grass next to Screech and she immediately started to try and crawl away.

'Hey, you don't get away from the Screeh man that easily', Screech caught hold of her and turned it into a game as she kept trying to crawl away from him again.

'Just remember you guys, that's what they turn in to, expensive to keep, sports mad teenagers', Screech joked looking towards his son.

After a while Screech put Crystal back under the watchful eye of her parents and went in to the house to get his digital camera.

'Time for group photos', he shouted at them as he went back out in to the garden.

Screech always took great pictures, he had come top of the class the semester they had all taken a photography class in school. Later , he also took more natural pictures of everyone that all came out well, even though they didn't know he had taken them until afterwards. Then he got Paul to take one of them all on his camera phone and turned it in to his screen saver.

Not that the party showed any signs of winding down, it wast ten o'clock and everyone was still having a good time. Screech had told Lisa and Darren to put Crystal to sleep in her carrycot in the spare bedroom when she had fallen asleep.

Kelly , Jessie and Lisa were all getting more tipsy as they finished off the last of the wine, as usual talking about their antics back in school.

'I just can't believe how neurotic I was', Jessie laughed.

'You still are', Lisa protested 'But at least not half as bad.'

'What about me and all the silly mistakes I made, like dumping Zack for that creep Jeff that managed The Max for a while. I did some really dumb things.'

'Didn't we all?', Lisa said thinking of the time she had gone mad with her parents credit card and had, had to spend a month working as a waitress at The The Max to pay her parents back.

Nicola had left the old friends to their reminiscing and had gone to start the tidying up for Screech. She had never known a group of friends to care so much about each other and she was glad to be part of them now.

'You want a hand', Darren asked 'Trust me, when these guys get talking about their days at Bayside, they can go at it for hours.'

'But didn't you go to Bayside too? I saw you playing on the old school team today.'

'Yes, but I was a freshman when they were seniors, so we didn't exactly hang out much.'

'Oh I see.'

The time Nicola and Darren had finished tidying up, it was after two in the morning and all the teenagers had crashed out in Screech's living room.

Darren looked through Screech's kitchen window.

'Come on, lets go and rejoin them for more Bayside tales now this is done.'

When they sat back down, Jessie and Slater were enjoying arguing about who had won, one of the many arguments they had had and the others were enjoying taking sides in the debate.

'You two in high school were a never ending saga. We would see you all happy together in the morning, then we would see you at lunch and you would be at each others throats. We couldn't keep up, but it was great for a gossip queen like me.'

Jessie and Slater had been a great source for Lisa's gossip column in the school magazine.

Nicola sat back down on Screech's lap as there were no more chairs left available, but what none of them saw was that Paul had woken up and had taken a snap of them all round the table before going back inside to wake Sophie, Ben and Josie up to show them.

Outside the reminiscing continued as they turned to the time Slater and Jessie had fallen out over the charity date auction and how Screech had eventually intervened to get the stubborn pair back together.

The time anyone glanced at the clock again, it was gone seven in the morning and once more light outside.

'I can't believe we've talked all night', said Jessie.

'Me neither, no wonder the kids crashed out in your living room Screech. Zack, we are going to have one lazy family Sunday. My head hurts. I don't think I've drunk that much in a long time.'

'That's the advantage of being teetotal Kelly , no hangovers to worry about. Do you want us to give you guys a ride home? , Slater offered.

'Perhaps the kids', Zack suggested, whose head was also hurting 'I think the walk will do Kelly and I good and its only a few blocks after all.'

'What about you two?', Slater turned to Lisa and Darren.

'That would be great, it will save me getting one of the chauffers out of bed early on a Sunday morning.'

'You've got chauffeurs now? Since when?'

'I've only really used them more since we had Crystal, but really I've had them employed for a long time. I just never used them much until Crystal came along. You know about my passion for driving sports cars. I'll just go up and get Crystal okay.'

Slater couldn't fit everyone in his car in one go, so he took Lisa, Darren and Crystal home first and then he and Jessie dropped Sophie and Ben off before finally heading home themselves.

'That was a long night, but the most fun and relaxing one I've had in a long time', Slater admitted.

'I know what you mean. I think it was just what we needed.'

'I know, bring on Hawaii.'

'I can't wait, but lets not make any daft bets with Lisa this time okay.'

'You got it.'

As they arrived home and Slater switched the car engine off, after everything that had happened, they were both looking forward to a brighter summer after all.

A/N Having been off work with the flu, I've been able to get quite a bit done the past couple of days. However, I have uni exams the next week or so, so I will try and get another update in as soon as possible after they are over. Thanks for the reviews so far.


	9. Chapter 9

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Nine

Hawaii

Screech somehow managed to be the first to reach the arrivals lounge at the airport and filmed everyone coming in to the arrivals hall, just like he had done all those years before, only of course there was more of them now, thirteen to be precise.

Sophie was trying to get all the attention waving in front of the camera until Josie appeared at her side and the two of them started to plan an escape to the beach as soon as possible.

When they all got to the hotel Screech noticed _The Hideaway_ had changed a lot since he had last been here. It still kept its quaint charm, but had been completely refurbished for the twenty-first century guest and had even had a spa built on.

'Sam, will you just put the camera away, you promised to show me round the place and I know the kids are eager to go off to the beach.'

'Okay, but first we all have to go and meet an old friend, Andrea, she is the manager here.'

'Oh, oh okay, but let me get changed first.'

Screech still noticed there were still a few members of the Pu ku ku tribe working around the hotel that he had met on his first visit here and one of the waiters he recognised from all that time back, stopped to speak to him for a bit. Then he spotted Andrea in the lounge, where she had set a table with drinks ready for them all.

'Hello again Andrea', Screech called. He still recognised her, she hadn't changed much and at almost forty , she still looked exceptional.

Zack was the one that had fallen for Andrea that summer, but over the two weeks, they had all become friends with her. In fact Screech had sat talking to Andrea while Zack was off comforting Kelly over her Grandfather's ex-lawyer using her and Andrea had confided in Screech, that deep down, she was convinced it was Kelly Zack really loved, despite what he thought at the time. Andrea hadn't been at all surprised when she had hear they had got married while still in college.

'Lovely to see you again Screech, do they still call you Screech?'

'Believe it or not, yes', Screech sat down and then realised he had completely forgotten to introduce Nicola.

'I'm sorry, Andrea this is my very soon to be wife Nicola.'

'Congratulations',Andrea shook both Nicola and Screech's hands. 'My daughter is the wedding coordinator here. I'm sure you will be happy with all the arrangements she has made for you.'

'You mean your daughter Jennifer? But she's a little kid.'

'No she isn't Screech. That little girl you met here, is a twenty-one year old woman, soon to be a college senior. She works here part-time for me, full time in vacations. And here she is.'

'Wow, Jennifer?; said Screech.

'How did you know my name?'

' I met you here one summer when you were a little girl. I hear you are the one responsible for our wedding arrangements.'

'If your Samuel Powers , that's me. I'm sure you will be pleased with everything we have organised for you. It's the first wedding Mum has let me organise completely on my own. I'm studying hotel management in college.'

Zack, Kelly, Jessie and Slater came and sat down to join them then.

'Welcome again everyone', Andrea passed round the cocktails she had prepared for them. 'Of course I have seen Zack and Kelly and their kids a few times over the years, but never in a million years did I think I would ever see you all here together again. Here, have some more drinks, the barmans special cocktails are great aren't they?'

'Hey , what did I hear we are missing?', Lisa had just showed up with Crystal and Darren.

'Trust me Lisa, the cocktails with a kick to end all kicks', Kelly said picking up a second cocktail that had been meant for Slater, Andrea not realising there was a teetotal guest among them.

'I can't wait to try one, are there any left or have you drank them all Kelly?'

'Here Lisa, have mine. I don't fancy it anyway', Jessie handed her cocktail over to Lisa that she had barely taken a sip from.

'Your right, they have got a kick', Lisa said as she started to drink hers.

'I can get the barman to make some more if you like them that much', Andrea offered.

'No, I promised Darren I would take him to that cultural centre near here. You know the one that you and Jessie almost got the guests to that time', Lisa laughed looking at Slater.

'You don't want directions from me then?', Jessie joked.

'No thanks, we are taking a trusty cab from one of Screech's tribe friends. See you guys later.'

Suddenly Kelly burst out laughing as she finished off her third cocktail.

'Whats wrong with you Kelly?', Jessie asked.

'Lisa, going to the cultural centre, that is just so funny. The only place Lisa ever goes to on holidays is the beach. Well, that's all she did the last time she was here. Don't you think its hilarious?'

Kelly was getting tipsy, something she didn't do that often and Zack did not envy the hangover she was going to have later on. Still she had had a stressful few weeks at work and he was glad she was finally able to relax.

'Don't you want to come to the beach and catch some rays?', Zack asked her.

'No , I don't really feel like it. I'm quite happy just sitting here with the guys.'

'I was going to go and see what the kids were up to down on the beach', Zack told her, secretly hoping to get in some surfing himself.

Zack had tried to get Ben to try surfing the last time they were here, but he hadn't been keen, though Sophie had made good progress. Though she had never taken up surfing back home the way he used to, she was always too busy with other stuff.

'I'm going to head off to the beach then. Anybody else coming?'

Zack looked specifically at Slater and Screech.

'You go Slater', Jessie urged ' I might come out and catch you all up later.'

Zack and Slater then managed to talk Screech in to heading down to the beach too, leaving the women behind to chat.

'I think I'm going to treat myself to a spa treatment today, get ready for tomorrow', Nicola decided.

'I'll come too, I could do with one. How about you Jessie?'

'No thanks Kelly. To be honest, I am so tired, I think I am just going to go up to my room and sleep for a bit.'

'Burned out again , ha Jessie.'

'You know how it is Kelly. I've wound up three divorce cases this past week and one of them was one of the toughest settlements I have ever had to fight for. After leaving work I just got home, packed my things and headed for the airport to meet you all. I'll be fine after a good sleep I'm sure.'

Jessie left for her bedroom leaving Andrea and Jennifer to clear away the cocktail trays as Nicola and Kelly headed for the spa.

Down on the beach Zack, Slater and Screech had found the kids all together. Paul and Josie had wasted in no time in getting out to surf the waves, Sophie was catching some Rays reading a trashy book for a change and Ben was reading a music book, which didn't surprise them in the least.

'Dad , are you really going to go out surfing again?'.

'You bet', Zack told his daughter, as he paid for the hire of a surf board.

'We all are Sophie, all three of us', Slater told her as he picked up his own board and passed one over to Screech.

'Wrong, not me. I don't do surfing remember.'

'Don't be a spoilsport Screech, you came surfing with us once when we were last here.'

'Yeah and remember what happened Zack', Screech was remembering how he had spent more time off the board than on it, or rather more time just trying to get on the board.

'Come on Screech, lets go', Zack encouraged him and Screech found himself following Zack and Slater , who were soon out surfing along with Josie and Paul.

'Hey Dad', Paul said 'I never knew you could surf.'

'I can't', Screeh said, as he parted with his surfboard for the first time.

'So I see. I definitely take after my Mum.' Then Paul was so busy showing off he could do what his Dad couldn't, he lost concentration and then found himself also parted with his board, the others all looking on and laughing.

Ben and Sophie had seen all the fun everyone was having in the water and had abandoned their books to go out and join them. The time they all left the water and the beach and had returned their surfboards they were all ravenously hungry.

'Why don't we all go freshen up, collect the women and then go for dinner?', Zack suggested.

'Sounds good to me, it takes a lot of energy the amount of times you have to try and get back on a surfboard', Screech joked. He had had fun really, even if he never had been able to and never was going to be able to surf like Slater and Zack. He had learnt that fact years ago anyway.

They arrived back at the hotel the same time as Lisa and Darren.

'So how did you like the cultural centre?', Zack asked her, thinking of Kelly's earlier hysterics over her visit there.

'Okay, so it was Darren that really wanted to go there, but I will admit, it was actually sort of interesting. What are the plans for dinner? Are we all meeting as Andrea is off tonight and said she can watch Crystal for us?'

'That's the idea, see everyone here in an hour', said Screech as he headed off towards the lifts.

'Hows your head?', Zack asked Kelly as soon as he walked in to their bedroom.

'Okay, so I went a bit mad on the cocktails this afternoon, my head isn't as half as bad as I thought it might be.'

'Are you ready to eat then? We all arranged to meet in the lobby in an hour.'

'I sure am. I had a massage in the spa earlier and it relaxed me so much, I just came back here and went to sleep. I haven't been awake long to be honest with you.'

'I think we were all a bit zapped and needed the this break, final exams for the kids, final exams for me and I know how manic work has been for you recently.'

'I think we had better make the most of this break, we got to get Ben off to his new school not long after we get back home.'

'Yes and I'm glad he's scholarship also covers the cost of the school uniform having seen the prices in the catalogue.'

Kelly wasn't the only one that had slept all afternoon and when Slater got back to their room, Jessie was still asleep.

'Hey there', Slater gently shook her awake 'It's six o' clock you know.'

'Six o'clock, oh my god. I can't believe I slept so long. I guess winding up that case yesterday really took its toll.'

'That's what you get for being superwoman. You feeling better now?'

'Much better thanks. I'm glad I haven't got anymore major divorce cases to deal with for a few weeks. Whats everyone else up to?'

'We said we would all meet in the lobby again at seven and go for dinner.'

'So what did you get up to earlier?'

'Surfing, with Zack , Screech and the kids.'

'Has Screech got the hang of it yet?'

'Nope, he still spends all his time trying to get back on the board.'

Jessie smiled at the memory of the times they had all spent surfing together the last time they were out here. Back then, none of them had, had a clue where they would be in a years time, instead they had all been panicking about senior year and in her case if she would get in to any of the Ivy League colleges she had applied to.

Screech, Nicola, Paul and Josie were already waiting for everyone in the lobby.

'As we aren't having a reception or anything, Nicola and I have decided this is our official pre-wedding dinner, so this is our treat before our wedding on the beach in the morning', Screech told them once everyone had arrived.

They headed for the restaurant that Screech and Nicola had chosen on recommendation from Andrea who had already phoned ahead and arranged for bottles of champagne to be waiting on the table ready for them.

On the way there Zack observed the way that Paul was looking at Sophie and the way they were both trying to hold back from Josie and Ben. Zack knew that look, he had spent all his early teens looking at Kelly like that. Despite what they both said, it looked like the two kids were falling for each other. Zack wasn't sure he was ready to deal with love sick and broken hearted teenagers yet, but it looked like it wasn't far off. After all, Sophie was fourteen now, the same age on which his crush on Kelly had got really serious. But even he admitted to himself, he hated the idea his little girl was growing up and getting interested in boys.

'Table for twelve', the head waitress of the restaurant greeted them.

'That's us, the wedding celebration', Screech said proudly.

'Please follow me and welcome, your table is all ready for you.'

They didn't stay out too late as Screech and Nicola's wedding was taking place on the beach early in the morning. And when Screech did wake in the morning, he found he wasn't nervous at all, just excited and Nicola felt completely the same.

And then down on the beach after breakfast, watched by all his long time friends, their kids and his son he finally became a married man and all their friends were congratulating them.

Neither Screech or Nicola had wanted a traditional wedding, which had been the reason to the dinner with everyone the previous evening. And now to celebrate they were going off on their own for the day on a chauffeur driven tour of the island.

'Now, Paul, Josie, any problems go and see Zack and Kelly okay and no causing any trouble', Nicola warned.

'Relax Mum, just go and have a good time. Paul and I are going to go and play squash today, stepbrother against stepsister and then we will probably just go back to the beach.'

'Good, at least staying on the squash courts keeps you out of trouble', Nicola said, but she was only joking. She knew her daughter and stepson were good kids really.

Then Nicola threw her bouquet and it was caught by some stranger passing by on the beach.

'Catching the bouquet means nothing anyway, I'm next and its already booked remember', Lisa pointed out.

'Not forgetting that Screech caught the bouquet at our wedding and look how long it took him', said Zack as they all made their way back to the hotel, to get out of their wedding outfits and back in to their shorts and t-shirts to relax for the rest of the day.


	10. Chapter 10

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Ten

Goodbye Ben

'I can't believe how quick the time has gone Mum.'

'I know Ben, neither can I', Kelly loaded the last of Ben's things in to the trunk of her car.

It was mid-August and Kelly had taken the day off work especially to take Ben to his new school with Zack.

'You do still want to go don't you?', Zack asked.

'Of course I do Dad. I'm so excited. Like the teacher said, my career starts here. I made you all a present for when you are missing me.' Ben handed a CD over to Zack. 'And yes, before you ask Dad, it has got _Waltz Of The Flowers_ on, but there is a lot of other stuff I have been practicing on there too.'

'Thanks Ben', kelly took it from Zack 'I'm sure we will listen to it a lot. We are going to miss your playing around here. We are going to miss you Ben.'

'Oh Mum, please, as least save the tears until we have to say goodbye at the school. We've got a whole four hour drive ahead yet.'

Ben climbed in to the backseat next to Sophie who wasn't too impressed at being dragged along for the ride when she could have been out watching Paul playing squash. Though, she knew she was going to miss her brother really, she just had better things to do than sit in on an eight hour round trip to San Diego.

They had thrown Ben a leaving party the night before with all his friends from school and all Zack and Kelly's friends had come by with good luck presents. Lisa and Darren had given him a brand new violin case, Jessie and Slater had bought him a new collection of music books and Screech and Nicola had bought him a new ipod.

They were among the last of the families with new students to arrive thanks to Kelly's car getting a flat tyre on the way and having to stop to change it, but at last they had arrived.

Ben wasn't half as nervous as the last time he had , had to join in line in the reception at this school. For a start there was only about fifteen other kids waiting and he didn't have an audition to worry about this time.

But for Zack and Kelly , as the hour got closer that they would have to leave their son here alone, they both began to get more and more nervous and they knew it wasn't going to be at all easy. Christmas was a long time away. They didn't recommend parental visits for on weekends for students in their first semester to help the kids get acclimatised to boarding school. And although, they could understand that, they knew it was going to be tough.

Ben was given the keys to the room he was sharing with two other seventh graders and then they were shown to the boys dorms.

'Hey, this place isn't bad', said Sophie as she noticed a couple of older boys helping the seventh graders settle in. She guessed they were either high school juniors or seniors.

When they reached the room Ben had been given, two other boys were already there, having just said goodbye to their own parents.

For a brief moment, they thought Ben had gone all shy, but then he realised he recognised one of the boys from his audition day.

'Hey Dean, I'm Ben remember. You play the cello.'

'Yes and you play the violin. This is Tom, he plays the piano.'

'I guess we will be doing a lot of practicing together', said Ben, unpacking his music books and putting them down on his allocated night stand.

Tom picked one of them up. 'Wow, I love playing Tchaikosky. I've been driving my parents mad for years with _The Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy_ from the Nutcracker.'

Zack and Kelly looked at each other and smiled, suddenly they knew that Ben was going to be alright here and that he was no doubt going to do well.

'Well Ben, I guess we had better get going, it's a long drive back to LA after all', Kelly suggested, knowing the longer they dragged it out the harder it was going to be.

'Well Ben', Zack said 'Work hard and make us proud and we will see you at Christmas', Zack hugged his son goodbye.

'Thanks Dad, I will.'

'What can I say little brother, except whose going to wake me up in the mornings now?', Sophie joked 'Seriously, I am going to miss you.'

'See ya Sophie, me and my violin will be home at Christmas .'

'I can't wait, see ya kid.'

Then finally it was Kelly's turn to say goodbye.

'Well Ben, I never thought I would be doing this until you went off to college', Kelly hugged her son close. 'I know your growing up, but your always going to be my little boy. You just make sure you do well here and make your Dad and I proud, in your academic work as well as your music.'

'I promise I will Mum, you don't have to worry about that.'

'Goodbye Ben, see you at Christmas.'

Then all his family were gone, headed home and Ben was left behind to get to know his roommates better.

On the way home, for the first time ever, Kelly let Zack drive her car. Not that he had ever nagged her too, since she had bought him a sports car of his own. She just knew she wasn't up to four hours driving, she was still upset at leaving Ben.

'How can I be so happy yet so sad at the same time?'

'That's you all over Mum', Sophie said looking up from her DS game she was playing in the backseat.

'Your never understand what that was like until you have children of your own Sophie, it was heartbreaking and next , your be going off to college.'

'Mum, I know I'm all set to go to college early, but that still won't be for a couple of years. Don't even think about it yet', Sophie tried to reassure her Mum.

'I'll be fine Sophie, once I'm back at work in the morning and its just another day. Though who knows how I'll feel when I get home and there is no one there practicing the violin.'

'If it makes you feel any better Kelly, I could always try and play _Waltz Of The Flowers_ on the guitar for you.'

'That won't be at all necessary thank you Zack', Kelly managed to smile.

It was late in the evening when they arrived home from San Diego and the next morning Zack got his final results from the university for his postgraduate degree in teaching. He was now an officially qualified high school teacher of business studies.

After Kelly had left for work and Sophie had left to go to the mall with Josie for some back to school stuff, he called Screech to tell him the news.

'I never doubted you for a minute Zack. Welcome to the full time teaching faculty of Bayside. So how do you think Ben will like his new school?'

'Screech, I think he is going to do just fine there. And talking of our kids, I think Paul has a crush on Sophie.'

'He took her to the dance, but he insisted only as friends.'

'Trust me Screech, I saw the way he looked at her in Hawaii,they were more than friendly looks I'm telling you. I guess the time has come for us to get prepared to see our kids through the broken hearted teenage years.'

'I'm kind of already there with my stepdaughter. You won't believe who Josie has started dating since we got back from holidays.'

'Who?'

'Martin Belding, you know what a player he is. He is worse than you were in high school and that's saying something.'

'Screech, you really have got your hands full, let me know if you find out anything from Paul.'

'Zack, Paul and I may have become close, but he doesn't talk much about the girls he likes to me.'

'I guess not.'

Zack then wasted a further half an hour talking to Screech simply because he was bored home alone with Kelly at work and Sophie out. At least until now, he had, had Ben's musci to occupy him and Ben to shoot hoops with when he took a break from practice.

He found he was that bored, that when he got off the phone to Screech, he even found himself volunteering to help their cleaning lady that came in a couple of times a week.

Then finally , he had an idea. Thinking about the joke Kelly had made on the way home last night, he went through to the lounge and picked up his guitar. Of course, unlike Ben, he had never attempted to play any classical pieces and he never would, but there was pleny of songs from his youth that he did know off by heart that he could pass the time with.

Sophie caught him when he came home just after lunch.

'Don't give up your day job Dad, trust me, your no Ben.'

'I know that Sophie. I was just passing the time, I was bored. I even offered to help the cleaning lady.'

'Yeah right?'

'No ,honestly ,Sophie, its true. I never thought there would be a day in my life when I would say such a thing, but I really can't wait until school starts. And maybe I'll even teach summer school next year too.'

'Will the real Zack Morriss please stand up', Kelly had been standing in the doorway and had heard it all.

'Kelly I wasn't expecting you home until tonight.'

'Clearly, but I come home for lunch, as I thought you would probably be bored by now.'

'Mum, Dad, I only came home for my chemistry books. I'm going to study at Paul's okay.'

'See you later Sophie', Zack put his guitar back on its stand.

Sophie then shut the front door loudly behind her.

'Well this is nice, home alone in the middle of the day. Suddenly I'm not bored anymore', Zack pulled Kelly towards him and kissed her tenderly.

'I've only got an hour for lunch Zack, I've got appointments all afternoon.'

'Then lets not waste a minute.'

A/N This chapter is dedicated to Sbtb lover for all the fantastic Zack/Kelly songfics that I love reading.


	11. Chapter 11

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Eleven.

The Summer Flu Virus

The whole gang and their kids, had got struck down with a summer flu virus at the end of the summer and they had, had to cancel their planned end of summer party at Lisa and Darren's house.

Fortunately everyone had recovered in time for when school started, though Slater and Jessie who had succumbed to it last, were both still struck down with it now, at the end of September. Both were panicking like crazy about all the work they were missing.

'This isn't going to look good, the first few weeks of the college semester and the wrestling team are without a coach.'

'How do you think I feel? I've had to postpone Carly Sampson, the singers divorce case and she is not happy. She wants it all settled before she goes on her tour in Australia. I even suggested she got another lawyer if she wanted it settled that quick, but she wouldn't have that.'

'I told you before, that's what you get for being at the top of your game. Want some more orange juice?'

'Yes please, got to keep topping up that vitamin C.'

'At least I feel like I've got a bit of energy back now, how about you?'

'Not a bit, I can still barely move.'

'Well you did get it last. I still felt like that until a few days ago. Your feel much better in a few days, trust me.'

'I sure as hell hope so, because I don't think I ever felt as lousy, well except maybe when I was taking all those caffeine pills.'

'I'm going to go out and get us some food. I'm suddenly getting my appetite back. You want anything?'

'No, I'm not sure mines ever going to come back.'

'It will , I promise you.'

For once Slater didn't nag her about keeping her strength up, he saw how lousy she was feeling. This flu virus had really knocked them both for six.

'Okay, I'll see you in a bit. Hopefully I won't be too long at the supermarket.'

Suddenly without knowing why, Jessie burst in to tears.

'Slater, I don't want you to go.'

'Hey its okay', he sat back down on the bed and pulled her close 'I'm only going to the supermarket. I'll be gone twenty minutes at the most, maybe half an hour if there's a queue.'

'I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. What an irrational thing to say.'

'Its okay, don't apologise. Look, I bet in a week or so, this will all be over and we will both be back feeling on top of the world.'

'I hope your right.'

'I know I am. Now are you sure there isn't anything you want?'

'No, its okay, I'll see you in a bit.'

Slater went out in to the fresh air for the first time in over a week and it felt good as he got in the car, so pleased to be on the mend at last. Even a trip to the supermarket felt good. He knew Jessie had no appetite now, but he was sure she would get it back soon, so he chucked a few of her favourite foods in the trolley just in case.

When he did arrive back, Jessie was laying in bed reading a book and listening to the classical radio station.

'Feeling any better?'

'A bit. Do you know if everyone else is better now?'

'Yeah, they are. Zack and Kelly were up and about after a week and Lisa and Darren were only out of action a few days. And I believe Screech and his family were all fine the time school started. It looks like you and I got hit the worst.'

'This always happens to me. Remember that time in school when we were practicing glee club and I went over the top trying not to catch Lisa's cold and I got it anyway, worse than everyone else.'

'Jessie, viruses are hard to avoid, you know that. Now you sure you don't want anything to eat? I'm going to make some bacon sandwiches and some coffee. You want one of your peppermint teas?'

'Yes please and maybe I will try and eat something, or you will only nag me anyway', she almost managed to smile.

Slater made a full plate of bacon sandwiches and took them through to the bedroom, along with Jessie's herbal tea and his coffee, which he was drinking strong and black.

The smell of the strong coffee hit Jessie the minute Slater put the cup down on the night stand and even though she got out of bed fast, she only just made it in to the bathroom in time to be sick.

'Slater, just how strong did you make your coffee? It smells awful.'

Slater took a sip of his coffee.

'Ugh, your right. I think I used a too strong setting even for me. I'll go chuck it away.'

'Please do.'

Slater couldn't be bothered to make any more coffee just then and just took a carton of juice back through to the bedroom instead. Jessie had switched the radio off and put the television on.

'I know there's a football match on you will be wanting to watch.'

'I can watch it in the lounge.'

'No lets watch it here together, that's if your not worried about getting any of the germs back.'

'Don't be silly, come here Jessie', as she cuddled up to him as the match began, she began to feel just a little bit better again.

Jessie had fallen back to sleep before even the first commercial break came on. Slater tucked her back under the covers and took the opportunity to finally go and make himself some more coffee, making sure he put the coffee maker back on to a weaker setting this time.

'Not coffee again', Jessie was awake and running across to the bathroom straight away, the smell of the coffee Slater had brought in to the room having woke her up instantly.

'It's as weak as anything Jessie.'

'I don't care, just get it out of here please, I can't stand the smell, its awful.'

'Sorry, I'll get rid of it.'

Slater went back through to the kitchen and threw his weaker coffee away and went back to the bedroom to find Jessie tearful again.

'Jessie, I'm sorry. I promise not to bring coffee in here anymore while your still ill.'

'It's okay, I'm sorry Slater.'

'Not being able to get to works really frustrating you isn't it?'

'I hate it Slater. I tried working with my laptop while you were at the supermarket. I couldn't concnetrate, I just kept falling back to sleep.'

'That's why we've both got to wait until we are a hundred percent better before we go back in to work Jessie.'

'I know that, right now, I just want to sleep some more.'

'Come here then', Slater pulled her back in to his arms and she was asleep again long before the game was over.

A couple of days later Slater was up and about more and was feeling ready to go back to work in a day or so. And even Jessie said she was feeling better, even though she still couldn't keep much food down and was still spending most of the day asleep.'

'I can honestly say this is the worst flu virus I have ever had', Jessie said as she picked up her laptop in bed. 'I really hope I can get back to the office soon.'

'Think you can manage some breakfast today?'

'Just maybe.'

'Okay, what do you fancy? For once in our lives the fridge is fully stocked from my trip to the supermarket the other day.'

'Nothing too heavy thanks, just a croissant and maybe some more orange juice.'

'Coming right up and I promise you, I won't bring no coffee in here.'

'Oh , don't even mention that word.'

'Croissants and juice coming up.'

Slater took her breakfast back through to her and was pleased to see that the colour was slowly coming back to her face.'

'I do believe your on the mend at last', Slater handed her , her breakfast tray.

'So what is it to be today, more trashy daytime TV?', Slater joked.

'Oh no. I really don't think I can take any more of that. Do people really watch that sort of thing regularly?'

'I guess someone must do to bring the ratings in. See you are on the mend, you finished all your breakfast.'

Except twenty minutes later they both thought perhaps not after all, when all the colour drained from her face again and she was sick again in the bathroom.

'I was really hungry too, it wasn't like I forced myself to eat it.'

'Maybe try something again later on.'

'Why did everyone else recover so quick from this?'

'We just got the worst of it Jessie, especially you', Slater put his arm round her as she climbed back in to bed after taking a shower and putting on fresh pyjama's. She was asleep again within minutes and he picked up his latest book on coaching college wrestling teams.

When Jessie woke late in the afternoon, she was actually so hungry she managed to eat the full dinner Slater had cooked for her and even made it out of bed to eat it in the lounge. And after she even helped Slater polish off a large tub ice-cream, in fact, it was her that ate most ot it.

'I didn't know you liked mint choc chip that much.'

'I never used too, I just really, really fancied it. I can't tell you how much better I'm feeling. If I'm not sick tomorrow, I might even think about going back to work. Carly Sampson keeps calling me, she really wants her divorce settled before the tour.'

'I'm going to have to go back in to work tomorrow too, the college wrestling team are expecting to see me.'

'I think I will be just so glad to get back to work.

Except in the morning Jessie was sick again and work was the last thing she felt like doing.

'I guess I shouldn't have pigged out on all that ice-cream last night.'

'I've got to go in to work at lunchtime Jessie, you going to be okay?'

'I think so. I'll just go back to bed for a bit and if I feel better later I'll get the laptop back out and do some work.'

Slater's cell rang then and his Dad was on the other end.

'I just thought I would let you know, Janine's headstone is finally up. Your Mum and I have just been over there.'

'Thanks Dad. I'm going back in to work this afternoon. I'll go to the cemetery afterwards.'

'Did you say you had a photo you wanted to put on the grave?'

'Yes I've got one here I was going to use. I'll take it with me later. How is Mum doing?'

'Taking each day as it comes, we both are.'

'See you later Dad.'

The time Slater left for work at lunchtime Jessie was up and dressed and making a a call to Carly Sampson and a couple of her other clients.'

'I'm going to pop by the cemetery after work as you probably heard, so I'll see you about six okay.'

Slater kissed her goodbye and left for work, relieved they were finally both getting over this rotten summer flu virus.


	12. Chapter 12

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Twelve

The Shock Of Their Lives

Jessie stopped work when she had finished rescheduling Carly Sampsons divorce case. She had done a full afternoons work and was raring to get back to the office. She was even thinking about going in tomorrow afternoon,if she felt as good as she did now. She had just finished making herself more peppermint tea when Kelly dropped by.

'I'm just on my way to do some home visits, so I thought I would come by and see how you were.'

'Much better, I can honestly say that is the worst bout of flu I've ever had.'

'Tell me about it, Zack, Sophie and I could barely get out of bed. We took it in turns to get out for food and drink.

'It was even worse for me. I've never known anything like it. When Slater was feeling better and brought some coffee in to the bedroom, it made me sick. I still can't stand the smell of coffee.'

'I couldn't drink anything but watered down juice for two days.'

'But Kelly, I don't know what came over me. The other day , Slater was only going to the supermarket to get us some more food and I burst in to tears and told him I didn't want him to go. That's not like me at all.'

'No , I know it isn't Jessie.'

Kelly was suddenly getting a crazy idea in her head and if it wasn't the fact that she was talking to Jessie, it wouldn't be a crazy idea at all. She was sure there would be no doubt about it.

Kelly was thinking back to a time when she had got like that. She hadn't been able to stand the smell of certain things without being sick, for her it had been greasy foods. And the sudden bursts of tears she had been prone to for no reason, it had all been down to hormones, when she had been pregnant with Sophie and she had been pretty much the same with Ben.

'Umm, Jessie, are you still being sick?'

'Only in the monrings. I guess that's my fault for pigging out at night. No wonder I'm putting weight on. You see these jeans, they used to be baggy , now they are tight.'

Kelly was now more there convinced, but she couldn't get Jessie's hopes up without being a hundred percent sure, although all her years in the medical proffession and two pregnancies of her own, she would be very surprised if she was wrong.

Kelly remembered the night at the hospital when she had been sat with Dr Quantock and Jessie after her relapse in to caffeine pill addiction. What was it Dr Quantock had said to Jessie, that she had something like a one in twenty million chance of ever conceiving a child, which she may as well read as never, as after all the odds of winning the lottery were only one in fourteen million. No wonder pregnancy hadn't even occurred to Jessie.

Now all Kelly had to do was come up with a way to get Jessie to use one of the pregnancy tests she always carried in her work bag, without her knowing what it was really for. Then suddenly an idea began for form in her mind.

'You know Jessie, if you still aren't well, you could have something more serious, maybe a kidney infection or something.'

'It was the first idea that had come in to Kelly's head and she knew Jessie knew as much about the medical profession as she knew herself about law, which was absolutely nothing.

'I hope not. I haven't got the time to go back to the doctor.'

'I think you should though. Though, kidney infections can be detected in the urine you know. I could test it for you now. I've got some of the tests we use in my bag and then if there is anything wrong, you will have to make a call for an appointment with your own doctor. You will only feel worse if there is something wrong and you don't get it sorted now. You might need medication.'

'Okay, I guess you make a lot of sense, as usual.'

Kelly went in to the hall and put two pregnancy tests in her white coat pocket so Jessie couldn't actually see what they were and then handed Jessie a sample bottle.

'I hope there's nothing seriously wrong with me', Jessie said as she came back out the door of the guest bathroom and gave the full bottle back to Kelly.

'We need to find out Jessie. I'm worried about you. Why don't you go and sit back down while I'll sort this out. It should only take a few minutes.'

Kelly felt terrible leaving Jessie looking worried, but she had to be a hundred percent sure about this and it wasn't like it was going to take a long time. She had used enough of these top of the range tests on patients over the years to know that if the tests were going to show up positive, two clear dark blue lines would start to appear straight away, which is exactly what she saw happening now to both the tests Kelly had used. She had used two just to be really, really, sure.

Kelly continued to watch and smiled as after a few short minutes the two dark blue lines on each stick were as clear as anything ,she had been right after all.

She picked up one of the test sticks and took it through to the lounge where Jessie was sitting drinking her tea.

'Well, do I need to see a doctor?'

'Yes, but its all fine.'

'Ha.'

'Jessie listen to me, you are going to be more than fine. Jessie, your pregnant.'

'What? Don't be silly Kelly.'

'I'm not' Kelly handed Jessie the positive test stick . 'Trust me Jessie, these tests don't lie. I even did two just to to be sure. I'm sorry I got you worried you were ill. I just didn't want to get your hopes up in case I was wrong, although I was pretty sure after everything you told me.'

'I'm pregnant?', Jessie continued to stare at the stick with the two blue lines she was holding in her hand.

'Congratulations Jessie'.

'I don't believe it.'

'I do. Umm Jessie. I think we need to work out just how many weeks gone you are. I can help you do that now.'

Shocked Jessie, still unable to believe what Kelly had just told her, despite the evidence in her hand, sat with Kelly as they traced the day she had conceived back to the night of Janine's funeral. Kelly worked it out as fourteen weeks as Jessie sat there crying with happiness , still unable to believe it.

'Kelly, I still can't belive it, after everything they told me. Everything I went through.'

'Miracles can happen Jessie', Kelly hugged her friend 'No one deserves this more than you guys. Jessie, where is Slater?'

'At the gym, coaching the college wrestlers, though he might be at the cemetery by now. His Dad rang earlier to say Janine's headstone was finally up.'

'Why don't you take that and show him?', Kelly pointed to the stick Jessie was still holding. 'I can drop you off on my way to my home visits.'

'Thanks Kelly, I think I'm too shocked to drive.'

'That's what I figured.'

Jessie tried the gym first , but Kevin told her Slater had already left for the cemetery so Kelly dropped her off there. She saw Slater's car in the lot by the gates. She walked up the path towards where Janine's grave was. Slater had just put Janine's picture and some fresh flowers on the grave, to go with the ones his parents had left that morning.

' I miss you so much Janine', she heard Slater say as she got closer to him and she saw the engraving on the headstone herself

_In loving memory of Janine Beatrice Slater_

_Much missed Daughter, Sister and Friend._

_No longer with us today, so that others could be._

_A Hero_

Jessie walked up behind Slater and put her arms round him.

'I thought you would be here. That wording, it couldn't have been put any better.'

'You are feeling better then?'

'Much better', except Slater turned to her then and noticed Jessie had been crying again.

'Why have you been crying then?'

'I had to come and find you. You see something happened the night of Janine's funeral. I brought it to show you.'

'What now?', Slater wondered, thinking yet more revelations had come to light over his late sisters dissappearence and untimely death. 'Come on, show me what it is, what else did she do?'

'It's nothing to do with what Janine did Slater, its what we did', Jessie reached in to her jeans pocket and gave the stick with the two clear dark blue lines to Slater.

Slater looked at the object Jessie had just given him and back away from Janine's grave to look Jessie directly in the eye again.

'Is this what I think it is?'

'It is, remember that one in twenty million chance they told me to read as never, well, we hit the jackpot. To put it another way, we are going to have a baby.'

Slater pulled Jessie close, in shock himself.

'Its still sinking in with me too', Jessie said as she clung to him tight.

Slater now knew what it was like to be both happy and sad at the same time. Just minutes ago, he had been getting all upset over his sisters death again and now Jessie had just told him they were going to have a baby against all the odds.'

'You hear that Janine, you going to be an Aunty. I just wish you could still be here.'

'I'm sure she is looking out for all of us from up above Slater.'

As they began to walk down the path towards the lot Jessie thought about how sad they had been the last time they walked back down this path together. At least today , they were leaving with something to look forward too.'

'So do you think you are okay to drive after the shock?' Jessie asked Slater as they got back in to the car. 'I had to get Kelly to drop me off, because still trying to take it in , I knew there was no way I was up to driving.'

'Maybe we should sit here a while. The happiest shock of my life is taking its time to sink in.'

'And there I was thinking I was just taking longer than everyone else to recover from the flu virus. Kelly reckons I only had that mild if at all, the rest was all pregnancy symptoms. But of course, when you are told you won't ever have children of your own, thoughts that you might be pregnant don't even cross your mind.'

Then Jessie told Slater about Kelly's visit and how she had tricked her in to taking a pregnancy test without her knowing what it actually was.

'She promised not to tell anyone, not even Zack, until I'd told you. I don't know about you Slater, but I'm excited, terrified and completely over the moon.'

'Me too. I mean, what do we know about looking after babies and young children?'

'I guess we will just learn , the way most people do. By the way , I forgot to tell you, you need to put the sixteenth of March in your diary, Kelly worked that out as the baby's due date.'

'You and I are going to be a Mum and Dad, I still can't believe it.'

'What makes me believe it more is that these used to be my baggy jeans and now they are tight. I don't know whats going to happen when I try and put my work suit back on to go back in to the office tomorrow.'

'This will make you laugh, all that training I missed, the wrestlers told me I need to start bulking up again. The college wrestlers laughed at me and said that if I didn't get back in to training myself soon, I would no longer have pecs for them to aspire too. But then I pinned every one of them. I told them the coach was back and that I wasn't the only one that needed to get back in to serious training. You ready to go home? I think I'm okay to drive now.'

'Sure, but can we stop off for some mint choc chip Ice-cream on the way, you wouldn't believe how much I want some right now.'

'Cravings huh?'

'I guess it must be.'

Slater reached over and kissed her on the cheek and then started the car up.

Later they were both glad to get home, it really had been quite a day for both of them.

'I need to get out of these jeans, they feel even tighter than when I put them on yesterday.'

'That might have less to do with the baby and more to do with that large tub of mint choc chip you just ate at the ice cream parlour', said Slater as he followed her in to the bedroom to get out of his work clothes himself.

It was when Jessie pulled her old long baggy sweater off and swapped her tight jeans for some old baggy sweat trousers that it became more real for both of them.

'Whats wrong Slater?'

'Nothing. I just noticed something. No wonder you found those jeans so uncomfortable, you've got a little bump there Jessie. I never noticed it before.'

'Me neither, but I guess I wasn't exactly thinking it might be a baby. I guess there isn't any point in me even trying to get in to any of my suits in the morning, they are all tailored tight fitting ones. I'll have to go and buy a couple of maternity ones from one of Lisa's shops. After all, this little bump is going to be a huge bump by March.'

They didn't call anyone that evening, they just spent the evening cuddled up on the sofa watching the TV, Slater unable to resist the urge to stroke Jessie's stomach every now and then.

'I know you've been feeling rotten Jessie, but its all going to be worth it in the end.'

'I know', Jessie wasn't as tired as she had been lately, but everything that had happened that day had taken its toll and she fell asleep wondering if it was a baby boy or baby girl that had been making her feel so rotten for so long.

A/N This chapter is dedicated with thanks to Sunshine19, whose ideas encouraged me to go ahead with this storyline.


	13. Chapter 13

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Thirteen

Changes for The Powers household.

Josie and Paul were spending all their spare time practicing together ready for the first round of the squash state championships. It was much to the annoyance of Josie and Martin Belding, who complained they never had time for dating anymore.

Sophie and Martin were currently at the sports centre watching them practice, although they both had their books with them with lots of homework to do.

'I don't think I'm going to dat Paul anymore', Said Sophie, as she picked up another of her chemistry books. 'I think I need someone that is as fascinated with science as I am. I don't think our parents really liked the idea of us going out anyway. What you studying Martin?'

'Business studies. It's all about keeping a sports centre running and as much as I like sports, its boring.'

'What have you got so far?'

'Nothing. Surely people are always going to keep on playing sports, so a sports centre should just run itself. Take this place for instance, its never going to go out of business because people will always need somewhere to play sport.'

'I don't know much about business studies Martin, but I don't think that writing that would get you very good marks.'

' I don't see why not. It's a perfectly clear explanation.'

'Here they are. I'm going to finish with Paul right now', Sophie decided as he and Josie came out of the squash courts and she caught him before he went back in to the changing rooms.

'Paul, I been thinking. I don't think it's a good idea we date anymore.'

'I was thinking the same. Squash bores you and chemistry bores me.'

Paul felt quite relieved. Sophie had been his first major crush and the weeks they had been dating had been fun, but now he wanted to move on and date lots of other girls.

'We are still friends though?'

'Of course Sophie. And I still need my tutor, or I'll never get in to a good college, even on a sports scholarship. Oh why did I mention colllege? All my Dad keeps talking about is the upcoming SATS now we are juniors. It's alright for him, he hasn't got to take them.'

'How do you think I feel Paul? I've really got something to live up too. My Dad scroed fifteen hundred on his SATs and he never lets me forget it. Both my Dad and yours are already expecting me to get the best score in the school and I'm taking the test two years early. Talk about pressure.'

Sophie was glad she and Paul were back on their usual friendly wavelength. They had never really been comfortable dating each other their parents being best friends and all.

Sophie sat back down next to Martin while they waited for Paul and Jose to come back from the changing rooms..

'Martin, how did you find the SAT's last year?'

'Awful. I got a ten hundred. My Dad wants me to retake them again this year, but I'm not going to , I don't see the point.'

'Don't you want to go to college?'

'Of course I do, but I don't want to go to an Ivy League school or UCLA or anywhere like that. I've been applying to lesser known colleges. My first choice is a school in Nevada.'

'My parents are already talking about Ivy League schools for me, but I'm also thinking of following in their footsteps and going to Cal U.'

Josie and Paul came back from the changing rooms then, Martin relieved not to have to think about his homework anymore. Not that he had been thinking about it much anyway.

'I can give you guys a ride', Martin offered , who had been able to borrow his parents car for once. He hated working in the school store, he and Paul both did, but at least now he was getting some money saved towards a car of his own.

'Thanks Martin, I got to get back home and study', Sophie picked up the rest of her books.

'Are you still taking me to the movies after?', Josie asked him.

'I am indeed. We hardly go out since you got in to the state schools squash team.'

'Your only jealous because you didn't get in. Paul told me you used to love squash. Now you don't play anymore, ever.'

'I'm more in to football these days. I am on the school varsity team you know.'

Josie realised she had hit on a touchy subject and decided to change it to which movie they wanted to see. It was times like this, Josie wasn't sure she wanted to continue dating Martin, but apart from that, they did have a good time and he was the most popular senior in the school. Though she also knew her Stepfather hated the fact she was dating Martin, but as much as she got on with her Stepfather, she wasn't going to let him influence her life. And she was sick of him going on about the SAT's all the time and at least Martin knew exactly how she felt about that.

When Paul and Josie arrived home, Josie only planning on going in briefly to change, Josie was surprised to see her Mum home. It was her one Saturday a month she should have been at work at the airline office.

'What you doing home Mum?'

'I've resigned from my job.'

'What, why?'

'I just couldn't stand working for my new boss anymore. She was awful to me, everything I did, she said I needed to do better. She came in to the job straight from college and hasn't a clue about the airline industry.'

'What are you going to do now Mum?'

'Go back to being a waitress I suppose. Lets face it Josie, I never finished college, there isn't much else I'm qualified for.'

'But Nicola, you've been all over the world and my Dad said his Mum is looking for someone to help manage her travel agency as Nan and Grandad both want to semi-retire.'

'Thanks Paul, it was a nice thought, but I don't think working with my Mother in-law is an ideal situation, as much as I like your Nan.'

'Just an idea'. Paul went back up to his bedroom to get on with his homework , before his Dad got home from taking some kids for Saturday detention. His Dad took a Saturday detention once a month and so far Paul had managed to avoid getting sent to one, although he knew Martin Belding was a regular attendee.

When Screech did arrive home, he was pleasantly surprised to see Nicola home early. Then she told him what had happened.

'Don't worry about it Nicola. I'd have done the same. If I had known you were that unhappy, I would have told you to leave the job weeks ago. How long was it going on?'

'Since she started, when we got back from Hawaii. I always hated the job Screech, but she made it hell. I'm worried I won't find anything else. Paul suggested I work at your Mum's travel agency, but I just don't think that's a good idea.'

'Maybe not, though I bet you would be good. You have seen the world.'

'Mostly the worlds airports. Even when I was walking long haul, ten day Sydney's didn't come up too often. It's times like this I wish I had gone back to college after all.'

'You still can Nicola.'

'Don't be silly Sam, its way too late.'

'Now that's being silly Nicola. It's never too late. I'm tutoring a pensioner after school that's decided its time she got her high school diploma. You never did tell me what you started your major in at college.'

'Art History, but I'm not really interested in that now like I was then.'

'What are you interested in?'

'Maths and statistics, especially the way statistics get interpreted. But I can't afford to go back to college Sam. I'm not a kid, I haven't got a trust fund.'

'Maybe not, but you've got a good sponsor, me', Screech hugged his wife 'I think you should go for it.'

'It's lovely of you to offer Sam, but I can't expect you to support me as well as two sports mad teenagers.'

'I've got some of my own savings I can use to help you get through college if we do start to struggle. It's never too late to start again Nicola, with anything, I mean look at us.'

'I love you Sam. You really mean it?'

'Of course I do and I happen to know USC has some great courses you would like.'

'I wonder if they get many applicants knocking forty.'

'There is more mature students out there than you think Nicola, you won't be the only one in your class.'

'At this rate, I'll be graduating with the kids', Nicola joked.

Nicola couldn't believe it, going back to college hadn't crossed her mind in years. And she had thought she was going to be stuck in boring dead end jobs until she retired after she had had to stop flying.

'Don't worry though, I'm not going to nag you to do your homework like I do the kids.'

'You wouldn't even have to Sam. I'll have you know, I was a good student in my day.'

'And unlike when you were a kid you won't have to live on pasta all the time.'

'Freshman year, I remember it well. And unlike most freshman I'll get to come home every night to my wonderful husband.'

Josie was still out with Martin , but Screech decided they should all do something to celebrate, so they went ten pin bowling with Paul. But of course as usual, Screech just ended up the entertainment factor. He managed to hit just two pins in the whole game and then not at the same time.

'Don't worry Dad, I still can't beat you at chess', Paul said reassuringly and all Screech could do was laugh.

Screech thought chess was so much easier compared to the things his friends and family liked, like bowling and heaven forbid surfing. After Hawaii, he had really meant it this time when he had said he was never , ever going to attempt to get on a surfboard ever again. Screech couldn't help but smile at the memory of all the fun they had had together on holiday though.

A/N Apologies to Sunrise19 for the typing error in their name at the end of the last chapter!!


	14. Chapter 14

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Fourteen

History Repeating Itself

Zack was going through the papers he had been marking for one of his senior classes on the sports centre project he had set them. Everyone had done really well with the exception of Martin Belding. Zack read Marting Belding's very brief paper over again.

_People are always going to want to play sport. Therefore sports centres run themselves, because they have a lucrative market. Then the owner just sits back and watches the money roll in._

Zack was glad he was sat in his classroom on his own, but he couldn't help but burst out laughing for a second time. Not because it wasn't a serious matter, but because it could have just as easy been written by him twenty years before. It reminded him of the time he had wrote an essay along similar lines that had got him in to trouble. They had all had to write an essay for the chance to become a student teacher for a week senior year. He had never meant to enter the contest, he had only written his essay to be sarcastic, saying why be a teacher when you could have the easiest job in the school, the principal? Zack had thought nothing more of it, thinking Mr Belding would just read it , laugh and then get on with picking the serious contestants. But no , Mr Belding had made him school principal for the entire student teacher week. And at the end of the project, that was exactly when he had told Kelly he would never ever go to school when he didn't have too. Yet now, even though he had only been teaching a couple of months, he was enjoying it more than he ever thought he would. Teaching these kids, it was far more rewarding than number crunching at the bank had ever been. Though he doubted he would be able to teach business studies quite so well if it hadn't been for all his years in banking.

Looking back at Martin Belding's essay and his grades so far this semester, as his homeroom as well as his business studies teacher, he was close to having to call Martin's parents to come in to school and see hime. And that would just feel too surreal the amount of times Mr Belding had called his own parents in. Maybe he could try talking to Martin again first before he had to resort to that.

Zack took the senior business studies class last period and gave everyone their papers back and asked Martin to stay behind afterwards.

'But I've got football practice Mr Morris.'

'Football practice is going to have to wait', Zack told him firmly.

Martin gave Zack a look that Zack knew all too well, it was the one Zack had used on Martin's Father all the times he had been called in to his office.

After the last of the other students left, Zack looked at Martin still sat at his desk.

'I know you want to get to football practice Martin, but if your grades don't start improving, you won't be on the football team anymore. It's not just business studies your failing, its history, geography and media studies. I didn't think anyone ever failed media studies.'

Zack remembered he had never done hardly any work for media studies and had still managed to pass the class with a B.

'But they are all boring Mr Morris.'

'Mr Powers tells me that you used to be a good student.'

'I can't be bothered with it anymore Mr Morris.'

'Your going to have to be Martin or I'm going to have to ask your parents to come and see me about your grades. And if you don't want to miss out on the next football game, I suggest you do this essay for me again, tonight. I want a thousand words on my desk in the morning.'

'I don't know where to start', Martin admitted. Business studies really did have him phased.

'Okay, think in more general terms, a sports centre opens a couple of miles down the road from the one you own. It has better facilities than your own, you can't match them with your current budget. What are you going to do to keep your customers coming to your sports centre?'

Later after Martin left to join the football practice late, Zack gathered up some essays from his freshman class to take home and mark. And it was another of those evenings when he found himself lonely at home and missing his son. Sophie was practicing for the academic bowl at Christmas and Kelly was doing evening surgery and would also be on call when she got home. As he sat marking his students essays he played the CD Ben had made for them all before he left. He knew how much Ben was liking school from his latest email. And he couldn't help but wonder what Ben was doing right then. No doubt his homework, which was done supervised in the school library, followed by a couple of hours of music practice before lights out.

Zack had only just finished marking when kelly got home from the surgery.

'Hey there, is that Ben's CD?'

'It sure is. Even though he has been away a couple of months now, it still feels strange without him being around.'

'I know. I'll be honest with you Zack. As well as the copy of the CD I ripped for my ipod, I also ripped it to put on the mp4 in my car.'

'He said he was looking forward to seeing us at Christmas in his email, but he forgot to tell us what he wanted.'

'Must still be the excitement of being away at school. What are we going to get him though? The school provides him with everything he needs music wise.'

'I want book tokens again', Sophie told them, putting her order in as she came in to the lounge through the conservatory door.

'Our daughter, so easy to please.'

'Is that Ben's CD your listening too?'

'Yes, have you not listened to it before?'

'Are you kidding? Okay , Mum, Dad, its confession time. I ripped it to my ipod too, just like I know you both did. He might be a pain at times, but I really do miss my little brother.'

'And just how long will it be before the two of you are fighting when he comes home for Christmas', Zack asked, thinking of the rows his son and daughter often had.

'I even miss that Dad.'

They had all just sat down in front of the TV when Kelly's beeper went off.

'I hate being on call when I've just settled down for the night. I've got to get over to old Mrs Smith on the other side of the town. See you later, enjoy the rest of the quiz show.'

When the show was over Sophie complained to her Dad that she was bored. All her homework was done and she had no Ben to tease about his constant violin practice.

'Sophie if I'd have known , I would have saved some marking for you. Just kidding.'

'I saw Martin when I was leaving school. He said you were going to get his parents up the school.'

'I was, but I decided to give him another chance. Don't tell your Mum I told you this, but he reminds me a lot of me in school.'

And then Zack had his daughter in hysterics once more retelling her the story of the time his sarcastic essay had backfired and he had got lumbered doing Mr Beldings job for a week, though some of it had been fun.

'Do they still have student teacher week?'

'Oh yes, Screech runs the project for seniors every year still.'

'When I'm a senior next year, I may just have a go. You never know Dad, I could get to be you for a week.'

Then a programme came on the TV about people who had changed their careers in their thirties and forties. Zack got engrossed having been through it briefly himself, Sophie said it was as boring as hell.

'In fact Dad, did you buy me any more SAT practice papers? I've done all the others and its better than watching this.'

'Yes I did, they came the other day. They are on the desk in the study okay. Though if there was ever anyone that didn't need to practice quite so much, its you.'

'I want to do well Dad. I want to have my choice of colleges.'

'Have you never heard of a safety school Sophie? It's what you put on your application in case you don't get in to any of your first choices, though I hardly think that's likely to be a problem for you.'

'Exactly Dad, I don't want to need a safety school.'

It felt odd for Zack talking about college with his fourteen year old daughter that was already a high school junior. But she was mature for her age and he was sure she would do just fine going to college early.

It was late when Kelly got back from work and Zack had been going back over his lesson plans for the rest of the week, just for something to do really, he was well organised for the whole semester.

'Old Mrs Smith has driven me nuts tonight. I've never known such a hypochondriac. She thinks she has every disease going and that she is dying the minute she so much as sneezes. Still if she wants to waste her money on calling me out in the evening I'm still on call until nine in the morning and then I can have the whole day off. Maybe if I don't get called out again tonight I will go and do some Christmas shopping tomorrow, look out for some ideas of what to get Ben.

'Kelly, its only November.'

'Exactly, its not far away. No doubt you will do your usual Zack Morris special and run around all the shops on Christmas eve.'

'Why not? It's more fun that way, sort of an adreniline rush.'

'Zack Morris, you are completely nuts, but that's exactly why I still love you after all these years.'

'Sounds like the words to some corny country and western song.'

'My Dad used to play it to me when I was a little girl', kelly confessed.

'Stil the same sentimental Kelly, that's my girl.'

At school the next morning Martin handed Zack his much improved business studies essay. Zack marked it while his homeroom stayed for their study hall period. It wasn't the best he had ever seen, but it was a properly constructed essay and he was at least able to grade it with a C plus. He kept Martin back afterwards to return it to him.

'Well done, it's a start and a great improvement on the first effort. You can carry on playing football, provided all your other grades improve as well. We will see what your report card is like at Christmas before we have to get your parents in.'

As Martin left for his next class, Zack got another feeling of déjà vu . How many times in the past had he heard similar speeches like that, Mr Belding threatening he wouldn't be able to stay on the school athletics team if his grades didn't improve. History really did seem to be repeating itself all over again at Bayside High.


	15. Chapter 15

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Fifteen

Relief

It had been six weeks since Jessie had found out she was pregnant and she and Slater had spent that time both excited and terrified. Every test they had done to check the baby was healthy, they had sat scared of the results. But finally it was all over, all the tests for various disorders and abnormalities that were routine these days had all come back negative and each time they had breathed a sigh of relief.

They had decided to be over cautious and decided not to tell anyone until they knew everything was going to be okay and had sworn Zack and Kelly to secrecy. They hadn't wanted Kelly to have to keep a secret from Zack, especially after the last time Jessie had asked her do do something like that, so they had told him too. And after all, if it wasn't for Kelly, Jessie thought, she would probably still be thinking she needed to do some serious dieting.

But now, having left the hospital after a twenty week scan, they were finally going to be able to tell everyone. They had been able to see so much more in the scan this time than the intial one they had done when she had first found out she was pregnant.

'That is one lively baby you've got in there already. That's always a good sign', they had been told as they looked on at the screens monitor. 'I can tell you the baby's sex or do you want it to be a surprise?'

'Well? Jessie, its your call.'

'Slater, I think this baby has already given us the best surprise of our lives.'

'Can you tell us?'

'I sure can. You've got one very healthy baby girl growing in there I can tell you.'

The smiles on both their faces had said it all then. And then they had paid for extra copies of the scan pictures to give to Slater's parents, Jessie's Mum, Lesley and they also got one for Zack and Kelly. They were going to be eternally grateful to Kelly for giving them the best news of their lives.

And now Jessie was finally over the sickness, except of course if anyone so much as put coffee near her, she was feeling on top of the world again. Her new doctor at the clinic had said not just how radiant and healthy she looked, but actually was. Even her blood pressure was normal, something the doctor had rarely seen in a woman with a job as stressful as Jessie's.

Jessie and Slater had both taken the morning off to go to the hospital and had decided to go back home for lunch before going in to work in the afternoon. Slater made sure their fridge was always well stocked these days.

They had just been about to sit down and eat their food when the phone rang. It was Slater's father.

'Hi Dad.'

'Oh, you are still alive then?'

'Whats that supposed to mean?'

'We haven't seen you in almost two months son.'

'Dad I have been texting you and Mum. I told you I was ill and then Jessie was ill and then we both had a huge pile of work to catch up on.'

'And that's more important than seeing us is it? Your Mum has been so upset. We'e already lost one child and now you can't even be bothered to come over and see us.'

'It's not like that Dad.'

'Isn't it AC?', his Dad put the phone down before he could even reply.

'What was all that about?', Jessie asked.

'A summons to get over and see them. Honestly , Jessie, I didn't realise it had been so long since I had been over there. I feel terrible, I could hear Mum crying in the background again. I'm going to have to get over there before work.'

'Why don't you take them their picture? It sounds like they need cheering up.'

'You sure? You not want to wait until we can tell them together?'

'It's fine Slater, if anyone needs some good news its your parents. I'm sorry I can't come with you, but I've got a meeting at the office with Carly Sampson.'

'That woman again?'

'That woman again. She is changing all the terms for the divorce settlement she wants again. She wants to take her soon to be ex-husband for every penny. I don't think the poor guy deserves it, but that's what she is paying me thousands of dollars to fight for, for her. It means we will no doubt be rescheduling the hearing yet again though. Part of me just wonders if she wants to drag it out for publicity purposes. Hey.'

'Hey what?'

'Slater come here', Jessie moved his hand to her stomach 'Feel that, she's having a little kick about in there.'

'She isn't she, wow?'

'Maybe she's telling us she wants to be a footballer like her Daddy', Jessie smiled.

After they finished their lunch Slater phoned his parents back and told them he was coming over with a present for them.

'Gas station bought flowers don't make up for your absence AC. This hasn't been an easy time for us.'

'Me neither. I miss her too Dad, she was my sister, my only sister.'

Slater slammed the phone down and Jessie got up and hugged him.

'If I was meeting any other client but Carly Sampson I would postpone the meeting and come over your parents with you.'

'Its okay, maybe I won't be public enemy number one once I give them their picture and explain everything.'

'Good luck, let me know how it goes. If they really lay in to you give me a call and I'll try and escape from the demanding Ms Sampson early.'

'See you later', he kissed Jessie goodbye and prepared to go and face and earful from his parents, because he knew his Dad would be on at him before he could even say a word. But then he remembered, in an envelope, in his pocket he had the trump card. And he hoped it was going to cheer his parents up far more than a bunch of flowers from the gas station ever would.

'Come on in son, we had almost forgotten what you looked like', his Dad said sarcastically.

'Leave it Dad. I know you are still grieving ,we all are. I go to the cemetery and put flowers on her grave at least once a week or haven't you noticed?'

'You could have at least popped in to see us as well.', his Mum told him , looking up from a picture of a very young Janine and Slater at school in Germany.

'Mum, its like I told you before. Jessie and I both got struck down bad with that summer flu virus. You wouldn't have thanked us for coming here and giving it to you. Even after I was better, Jessie was still really ill with it. I had to stay home and look after her. And then as I told Dad, you wouldn't believe the backlog of work we both had. Mum, Dad, I'm sorry. I promise I won't leave it so long again. It's just the past few weeks have been really manic. If you hadn't called this morning Dad, Jessie and I had been planning to come on over at the weekend anyway.'

Slater could see his Mum was caving in, but his Dad still didn't look convinced.

'Look, all because I haven't been able to see you lately it doesn't mean I don't love you and it certainly doesn't mean I didn't love my sister. Until the day of her funeral, I had a hard time even accepting Janine was gone, ask Jessie if you don't belive me.'

'I do belive you AC', his Mum told him, seeing he was still just as distressed as they were over his sisters death.

'Until he goes another couple of months without even bothering to come and see us', his Dad clearly wasn't going to be quite so forgiving.

'You know what Dad, I've had enough of this. I'm going back to work. I don't even know why I bothered to bring you this', Slater threw the envelope from his pocket on the table in front of his Dad and made for the door while his Dad opened the envelope, barely looking at the contents and just put it to one side.

'AC, you could have done better than modern art. I think your Mum might just have preferred gas station flowers.'

'You know what Dad, for an intelligent man that used to command hundreds of troops, sometimes you can be really dense.'

'So I don't like modern art.'

'Martin, let me see it', Slater's Mum took the picture from the table and stared at it for a few seconds, like she was trying to make out if she really was seeing the shape she thought she was.

'Carol, you aren't seriously thinking of putting that on the wall are you?'

'I just might, I might even frame it', then from where he was stood in the doorway, Slater saw his Mum's face break in to a smile, knowing she had worked out exactly what it was.

'Carol, I'm not having any pictures of modern art on the walls of this house, no matter how small.'

'Martin, will you shut up about modern art. That isn't what this is.'

'Oh don't tell me Carol, its contemporary art.'

'No Dad it isn't.'

'Then what exactly is it?'

'It's a picture of your granddaugther. And I'd have given it to you when I got here if you hadn't started laying in to me straight away. I'm going.'

'AC, come back', his Mum followed Slater back out to the drive, leaving his Dad looking at the picture again, the picture none of them had ever thought they would ever see.

'AC, I'm sorry about your Dad. He won't admit that Janine's death has hit him as hard as it has.'

'I know all about that Mum. Now do you understand why I didn't come over? Until a few weeks back, Jessie was still being sick every morning. Six weeks ago we both thought it was just a bad bout of the flu, until Kelly tricked Jessie in to taking a pregnancy test. Then the past few weeks, they did every test going, to check both the baby and Jessie were healthy. Everything is fine Mum. That's the twenty week scan picture I just gave your from this morning. Mum, Jessie felt her kick earlier, it was amazing.'

There was no need for words then as his Mum hugged him close, through her tears, the first happy ones she had cried in a long time.

'I feel terrible AC.'

'Mum, we just didn't want to tell anyone until we knew for sure everything was okay, especially it being such a shock. Jessie left me once remember, after they told her she would never conceive a child. Mum I had to stay home and look after her. I mean, she's fine and full of energy now, but…………………'. Slater knew he was rambling on, still trying to get his Mum to understand his recent absence.

'AC, its okay, I undrerstand.'

'Don't ever think I don't care about Janine. You know where I was when Jessie came to tell me, looking at her headstone for the first time. I went to see it the same day Dad told me it was finally up. I went right after work and put her picture on there.'

Martin Slater came back out of the house then.

'I'm sorry son. I should have let you speak before I started to shoot my mouth off at you.'

'It's okay Dad. But do me a favour ,she might not be born yet, but please don't refer to my daughter as modern art, she might take offence', Slater managed to joke.

He couldn't be bothered to go on arguing anymore, it wasn't worth it, his parents had been through enough, they all had. Instead, he hugged his Dad too. And when he left his parents place for work, he left them smiling together, something he hadn't seen them to do for a long time.


	16. Chapter 16

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Sixteen

Turtle Fashion College

Lisa had always had another ambition besides being a top fashion designer and she had decided the time had come to make that ambition a reality. She had planned on opening a postgrad school one day ever since her own days at FIT.

She remembered how she and a couple of girls used to sit round talking about the future and she would always say 'One day, when I've made it bit and my designs are famous world over, I'm going to open my own fashion college.' No one had taken her seriously at the time, but now she was ready to do it.

In between planning her wedding she had been looking at possible suitable premises all over LA, but hadn't yet found anything suitable, so she was just going to have to keep on looking.

'Lisa we are getting married in two months. Why don't you wait until after the wedding to find some premises?'

'I don't think so Darren. Now I have decided to do this, I want to get it up and running as soon as possible. I want to have my first intake of students next September. That means I got to find a place, get it refurbished for its purpose, higher some teaching staff from the industry. Though of course the whole idea is I will of course be giving a couple of seminars a week myself. And not only that, Berry has always known about this dream of mine and he is dying to join the teaching staff too. These kids, taught all they know from Lisa Turtle and Berry Dawson, they can't go wrong if they want a career in fashion design.'

'I gather Berry is pretty excited about the wedding too.'

'Of course, especially since I told him he could be my chief bridesmaid. Just as long as he wears the suit I have designed for him and he doesn't show up in a dress.'

'Berry makes me laugh, he is such a typical queen.'

'He said it was probably the only chance he would ever have to walk down the aisle as all his relationships never work out. Lets face it, with Berry, they are usually a disaster from the start. Anyway I said he could carry Crystal down the aisle too, I don't want her missing out on being a bridesmaid just because she can't walk yet. Obviously I am not going to finish her outfit until last the way she keeps growing.'

'So how about Kelly and Jessie's dresses? Are they coming along okay?'

'I have started work on them as I know their sizes, but I still need to get them over for a fitting at some point. I can't believe I haven't seen my friends for so long. That was the whole reason for moving back home.'

'You will be handing them their dresses at the church at this rate.'

'Darren, what you just said. What we've just been talking about. I still can't believe I 'm getting married. I never wanted to you know, not for a long time, I don't know why.'

'I know how you feel Lisa. I always felt the same, probably why we got on so well all those years in New York. Even when we started going out back in New York, I still thought I would always feel the same.'

'Do you miss New York Darren?''

'Not really. I mean, we live in crazy LA and I spend the rest of my time in Chicago which has I have always found far more friendly than New York. How about you, do you miss it?'

'Not a bit Darren. I think I finally exhausted the high life of the big apple. When I was last there for a fashion show I noticed how everyone seems to go about in a mad rush all the time. I can't believe I used to be like that. What flight you booked on back to Chicago tonight?'

'Nine. I booked myself on to the later flight this week, that way I get to spend as much time with you and Crystal as possible.'

'We can come to the airport and see you off .'

'I'd like that. It's been so good spending the whole week at home with the two of you.'

'It has and we are going to miss you. We always do. I haven't even got much work on next week, though with you out the way, I can get to work on finishing my wedding dress and carry on looking for college premises.'

At LAX that night Lisa and Darren joined the rest of the commuter couples in the terminal just before security, all saying goodbye to each other for the week.

'Darren, do you think you might ever want to work closer to home?'

'I would love to Lisa, but this is the best position I have ever had and I love it as you love your business. But trust me, if anything similar ever came up here, I would quit all the commuting instantly.'

Darren always left it to the last minute when his flight was called the times Lisa and Crystal were able to come along and see him off. Every time he hugged Lisa goodbye and picked his daughter up to say goodbye for another week it, it broke his heart, especially when he always made a habit of looking back at them waving as he went through to the departures lounge beyond security. Maybe he should start seeking another position closer to home.

The next morning while Lisa was putting the finishing touches to her wedding dress, she asked Sheila to get Crystal ready to go out.

'I'm going to go and look for some premises for my college again', she had told Sheila. 'You can take the rest of the day off if you like. I'll doubt I'll even be home before dinner the amount of time its taking to find the right premises. I never thought it would be so difficult.'

Sheila went off to the shops as soon as she had Crystal changed ready for Lisa to take out. Lisas was all ready to go and had just got Crystal in her buggy, about to go out the door when there was a knock on the door. Lisa was surprised who was there.

'Jessie, I wasn't expecting you, its been ages. I was just on my way out.'

'It's okay Lisa. I needed to come and see you as I need a huge favour.'

Lisa was half listening to Jessie, but looking at Crystal giving her some juice, hopefully to keep her quiet for a while, why she could speak to Jessie. Crystal was a good baby, but she didn't like it when she wasn't the centre of attention and wasn't being made a fuss of.

'Okay, what can I do for you?'

'Do you think you can get hold of two more of these size six black maternity suits like the ones you sell in your shop in Rodeo Drive? It's a bit hard to manage with just one and the shop didn't have any others in my size. In fact they didn't have any others of the style at all.'

Slowly it dawned on Lisa what Jessie had just said and hugged her friend hard and then realised, not just how much weight Jessie had put on , but the suit she had bought from her exclusive boutique style shop.

'This is the best news ever Jessie. And the reason there were no others of that suit, is its an exclusive, there has only been one ever made. That is the concept of the shop.'

'I had a suspiscion it might have been. It cost enough. I was the only one I really liked that was similar to my usual work suits'

'I can get two more suits run up for you in a couple of days. I'll have them start working on them in the studio this afternoon.'

'Thanks Lisa. Here, let me write you a cheque now.'

'Jessie, you can write me a cheque if you want, but I would only rip it up. Your one of my best friends. I'm not taking payment from you, it's a present.'

'Thanks Lisa, you are still a star. I've got to get back to the office.'

'Not so fast Jessie. Let me walk back to the office with you and then you can tell me everything and I mean everything from the beginning, espesecially after the months I spent with you when you were so down.'

It was actually only five blocks from Lisa's house to Jessie's office, but they continued walking round and round the blocks until Jessie had finished telling her everything that had happened since the last time they had managed to meet up .

'Lisa we did call most people, but I wanted to tell people special to me face to face and I had to come over here anyway, because Lisa, I really need those work suits. I've got six of my normal ones, one for each day of the working week and a spare.'

'Don't worry Jessie, I'll be over at yours with them as soon as I can. And now I guess that means I am going to have to start making some alterations to your bridesmaids dress.'

'Lisa, I'll be seven months gone when you walk down the aisle. Do you really want a big fat blob for a bridesmaid?'

'Jessie, I will make you look as beautiful as ever, trust me. All I have to do is make a few adjustments in the design of your dress. Besides, I don't know why you are so worried about the way you are going to look, Berry, I think is banking on being the most pretty bridesmaid of them all.'

'Please tell me he isn't going to wear a dress?'

'He would if I let him. But don't worry, I've done him a beautiful suit, sort of page boy style but for a grown man.'

'I can't wait to see it. Well here we are, I've got another meeting with the client from hell now.'

'Really, who?'

'Lisa, you know I can't tell you that.'

'Are they famous?'

'Yes.'

'Actress, actor, singer?'

'Alright Lisa, she is a singer, she is Australian, but has lived here most of her life and is about to go off on a major tour in Australia.'

'Wow, you are handling Carly Sampson's divorce?'

'Lisa, keep it down will you. You never know who is listening round here.'

'Sorry.'

'Its okay, I know some old habits never die with you. I'll see you soon okay.'

'I'll drop your suits by one evening as soon as they are done.'

Jessie got in the elevator just before Carly Sampson arrived in the building herself. She really wasn't in the mood for her today, but she just had to focus on one thing, this was one of the biggest cases of her career and she had already had some really big ones in the past, so she tried to forget how much she loathed Carly and her attitude on a personal level.

'Right, I've decided my ex-husband is getting nothng, not even one of the five cats, in fact not even a blanket off of the king size bed.'

'Ms Sampson you don't have much chance of that. The law really isn't on your side after all. I did explain to you that divorce laws in this country generally favour a half and half split. We are really going to have to come up with some gliches if you want the lot.'

'Like I told you before , that's why I hired you.'

'Okay Ms Sampson, but there is no way it can be done before you go on your tour like you wanted. This is going to take months to prepare.'

'Fine. I can wait a bit longer if it means I'm going to get what I want. I get back in the country on the sixth of March. Anytime after that is fine.'

'It will have to be as soon as possible after that, I have a lot of work coming up then.'

Jessie did not think it a good time to tell Carly she would be taking her twelve weeks maternity leave just after then as well.

'Oh and I think you should stay off the cookies', was Carly's parting words and Jessie once again thanked god for Lisa's clever designs in maternity wear.

Then it was back down to files and files of what had happened between Carly and her ex-husband leading up to their divorce. It was going to be another long day and possibly night at the office.

Meanwhile Lisa had found the perfect building for her postgrad school for fashion designers of the future. Her property agents had come up with a gem, an old disused high school building that would be easy to convert. And as she stood back in the grounds, Lisa knew this was definatley the place. On the tour inside she had seen largely sufficient classrooms and a giant assembly hall that would become the main seminar hall. It needed quite a bit of refurbishment, but she planned to organise all that straight away. In fact, Lisa had immediately bought the property and spent the afternoon making phone calls while sipping numerous coffee's in one of her favourite café's by the beach. And while Crystal slept on in her buggy, Lisa set the ball rolling to make Turtle Fashion College a reality in the very near future. She was one of the worlds best fashion designers and now she was going to create some of the worlds best fashion designers of the future. She had decided she would not take anymore than thirty students in a year. She knew she was getting carried away with herself, having only just bought the place and organised the refurbishment, but she couldn't help it when she got excited about something.

After that was all sorted she made the necessary calls to get the suits made up for Jessie as soon as possible. And it was while thinking of Jessie, that she decided the time had come to break in to the market she had sworn she would never go in to before. She was going in to the desinger baby wear market. People she knew had always admired the clothes she had designed for Crystal and from the people she met she had learnt people would actually spend a fortune on gifts of baby wear for loved ones. Some said they couldn't understand why she had never thought of breaking in to that market before. She had always thought there wouldn't be any money in it, but now she knew she couldn't have been more wrong. People would and did pay hundreds of dollars for a baby wear outfit the baby might only wear for six weeks or so before growing out of it. After all, she should know, the outfits she had designed and had made for Crystal hadn't come to much less than three hundred dollars each and she hadn't thought anything of it.

Lisa went home buzzing and got down to designing straight away and then later on, after Sheila came home and put Crystal to bed for her, she sat and worked out what type of courses she was going to offer at Turtle Fashion College. She didn't like to tell Darren, but she seemed to have her best ideas when he was out of town. She went to sleep that night with visions of her new clothing collection and giving her first seminar in that giant hall she had seen that day. In fact, if it hadn't been such an exhausting day, she would have probably been too excited to sleep.

There were also those that night that were not too excited to sleep , but too nervous instead. The following monring would see Josie , Paul and Sophie take their SAT's for the first time and Martin Belding giving it a second attempt after a lot of pressure from his father and teachers. They had all been studying together with practice papers, but now the realised in the morning, it would be the real thing and there would be no more practicing them anymore. And that was a scary prospect.


	17. Chapter 17

_**I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. **_

**Chapter Seventeen**

**SAT's Time For The Kids**

**In the past Screech had always had trouble getting teachers to come in on Saturday morning to help him invigilate with the kids taking their SAT's, but this year he had no trouble. Zack, had only been too happy to help out. With Ben away at school, Sophie spending more and more of her weekends with her friends rather than at home and with Kelly at work, he really didn't have anything better to do.**

**After the kids took their seats in the classroom, most of them looked as nervous as hell and he tried to give them a speech to calm them all down, unlike the one Mr Belding had given his class almost two decades before.**

**Watching from the back of the room as an old expert, Zack could tell which kids were worried about doing well, those that weren't bothered and those that spent their time really concentrating, just not on the test papers on the desk in front of them. Martin Belding fell in to that catergory,who looked more interested in the girl scribbling away at the desk opposite him. Yeah, Zack knew all about that, he had been there.**

**Zack was also trying his best not to look to see how Sophie was getting on. She had been so nervous when they left the house she hadn't been able to eat a thing. But in the end,he just couldn't resist and was happy when he saw her looking okay and just concentrating on the papers. Josie and Paul seemed to be doing fine too.**

**It sure brought back some memories for Zack. He remembered what it had been like, the weeks waiting for that envelope to arrive and the excuses he was thinking of to give his parents if he done as badly as he expected to. He had had any number of excuses lined up . And he would never forget the shock he got that those excuses were not going to be needed after all. He had got the best score in the school that year and he had never let his friends forget it. As for the class in front of him though, he didn't know who to put his money on, except that he had no doubt that Martin Belding would do just as bad as his previous attempt.**

**And Zack thought, there was another thing, when you weren't the one taking the test, watching the people who were became incredibly boring after a while. He started to think about Ben. Ben's school's semester dates being slightly different, he would be home mid-December and head back to school in mid-January. They got a lot more time off than public schools, but then they also had to put more hours in each semester. And there was also the end of semester Christmas concert which the whole school performed in, that they would go and see the day before they all went home with their families. Zack was looking forward to seeing him.**

**And then the SAT's were over and the kids were free to do with whatever they liked the rest of their Saturday. And of course for them, it was all different now, there was no agonising wait for the post, the results came through online within a matter of a couple of weeks.**

'**So how did you find it Sophie?', Zack asked his daughter.**

**After taking his SAT's Zack had just forgotten all about them and spent the rest of the day surfing at the beach. But he knew Sophie wasn't the type to do that.**

**Sophie didn't say anything, so Zack tried to reassure her.**

'**Sophie try not to worry about it, SAT's scores aren't everything.'**

'**That's what I told her', Josie interputed them 'I told her we should just go to the mall and have some fun. After all I'm not playing squash today for once in my life.'**

'**I can give you guys a ride over there to the mall. My dad lent me his car again', Martin Belding offered them.**

'**And I need to go to the sports store. I need more squash balls and I got my heart set on a new racquet', Paul informed them.**

**Then the last four teenagers were gone from the rest of the classroom to enjoy the rest of their day, leaving Zack and Screech to tidy up the classroom.**

'**Screech do you ever wish you could go back to school?'**

'**What do you mean? In fact when you think about it, I've neve really left.'**

'**No , I mean back to being a kid, sort of young and carefree. I don't like our kids I guess. Were we really like that once?'**

'**No Zack you never dressed like our kids and my dress was just dorky.'**

'**Hey, it was the early nineties , we were cool at the time.'**

'**You were, Slater was, I wasn't. Umm Zack, all this reflecting, do I detect a mid-life crisis coming on or something?'**

'**Not at all, its just sometimes when you look back it does make you think. I was talking to Jessie the other day about how we used to climb in each others bedroom windows. I wonder what would happen if we did things like that now.'**

'**Well Zack as Jessie lives in a luxury twelth floor apartment that would make it quite impossible and secondly if you did manage it, Slater would probably kill you thinking you were a burglar or something.'**

**That made Zack smile, sometimes the things Screech came out with, he really hadn't changed a bit and that was comforting.**

'**You know Screech, the guys don't get together enough anymore. I mean we've got Lisa and Darren's wedding come up , then Jessie and Slater will be joining the rest of us in the world of parenthood, I hope they have prepared themselves for some serious sleep deprivation. But before all that I think us guys should go and spend some quality time together, you know like in the old days. We haven't got together like that since Slater's bachelor party weekend.**

'**On no please Zack, not the outdoor adventure centre again? Anyway next time we go away, I think its my turn to choose the activity.'**

'**Nothing to do with insect watching or playing chess, please Screech.'**

'**Don't worry I'll come up with something we can all enjoy together. Now what excuse are we going to give our wives and when were you thinking of?'**

'**We don't need to give them any excuses, we can just tell them we are going and I don't see why we can't go next weekend.'**

'**Umm Zack, I love Nicola. We haven't even been married a year yet and I would rather like to make it to my first wedding anniversary without a threat of divorce.'**

'**That's okay, I know a good divorce lawyer.'**

**In the end Zack accepted Screech wasn't up for taking off spontaneously for the weekend after all, but it didn't stop him calling by Slater with the idea on the way home. And there he got a very similar response to the one he got from Screech.**

'**Zack are you crazy? I got to stay here and keep an eye on Jessie. She didn't come home until seven o'clock again last night and was absolutely exhausted. I just can't pack up and go away for the weekend like I haven't got a care in the world and neither can you. Where did you get such a crazy idea anyway?'**

'**I don't know, I was just stood watching a classroom full of kids take their SAT's and started thinking about the good old days.'**

'**Zack, your getting a bit too nostalgic. You can't turn the clock back. Besides who would want to be a kid with no money again?'**

'**Okay, I can see I'm not going to convince you either , it was just an idea. Heck, maybe I will even just go away on my own for the weekend. I can't remember the last time I done that, in fact I don't think I ever done that.'**

'**Zack do I detect a mid-life crisis coming on ? I've never heard you talk like this.'**

'**Screech said the same thing earlier, but no . I guess I just miss having everyone around at home, doing Father and son stuff with Ben. Besides I'm far too young for a mid-life crisis.**

**When Zack got home later in the afternoon, there was still nobody around. He wasn't expecting Kelly home until late as she had patients to visit at the hospital after the surgery closed. And Sophie had texted him to ask if she could go to the movies with Josie, Paul and Martin and he had told them of course as long as she got a ride home and was home by half past ten. After all the girl deserved some fun after all the months of extra study she had put in for her SAT's.**

**In the end Zack made himself dinner for one and plugged in Ben's play station, but it wasn't half as much fun without Ben there to try and beat. He even had a round or two of nostalgic games from his youth like **_**pac-man**_** and**_** space invaders**_**, but even that didn't lift his mood.**

**In the end Zack went online and booked himself a room in the hotel still run by Jessie's stepmother the following weekend and thought if nothing else, he could just spend the weekend playing golf. There were bound to be other guests there happy to challenge him to a game.**

**Zack had only really become a golfer as it seemed to be a requirement in his banking years. He rarely saw any of his ex-banking colleagues anymore and none of his close friends played. He was sure he wouldn't be too much of a challenge to any of the pros hanging round the place.**

**It was after ten when Kelly came home and he decided to tell her about his plans for the following weekend straight away.'**

'**Kelly, I 'm going away to Palm Springs next weekend. I'm going to play golf with some bankers I know.'**

**Technically it wasn't a lie, there probably would be bankers about the course and he probably would get to know them over a round of golf over the weekend.**

'**Have a great time Zack, you deserve it. By the way old Mrs Smith passed away tonight. She may have been a hypochondriac, but the only thing she died of was old age.'**

'**Kelly, do you ever think about getting old?'**

'**Not really, I don't have time to think about much right now. So did Sophie say how she thinks she got on in her SAT's?'**

'**She didn't really say much at all after the exam, all the kids wanted to do was get out of there and go and have some fun. I can't say I blame then. I missed you today Kelly. The house felt so empty when I got home.'**

'**You should be used to it by now Zack. I've been working most Saturday's for a while now. The next full weekend I have off is when we are due to go and pick Ben up from school for Christmas.'**

'**I'm looking forward to seeing his concert and bringing him home. Still at least we can go and visit on weekends next semester.'**

**Like Screech and Slater earlier, Kelly was wondering what the hell had come over Zack. It wasn't like him to talk like this at all. But maybe it was just because the house seemed so quiet without the kids on a Saturday night.**

**Not that they were home alone much longer as right on half past ten Sophie came in the door.**

'**Good movie?', Zack asked.**

'**It was some weird horror movie Paul and Martin wanted to see. I wanted to see the French film, but nobody else did.'**

'**As long as you had a good time Sophie', Kelly remembered all the strange horror movies Screech had made them all sit through when they all went to the movies together back in school.**

**Sophie went off to her room to read before she went to sleep and Zack and Kelly had just sat down to relax with some rubbish late night TV themselves when Kelly's bleeper went off.**

'**Oh, I don't believe it. I knew it was too good to be true.'**

**After Kelly got all the details of the place she was to go, she found herself heading to a place she hadn't thought of in years, the **_**Malibu Sands Beach Club**_**, where the entire gang had worked one summer. She and Zack had been split up for a while then and that was the summer Zack had fallen for Stacey, the daughter of the clubs boss.**

**Once just open during the summers **_**Malibu Sands**_** was now a year round resort as a peaceful haven for the local rich and the not so local rich . And that was how come Kelly was on her way there now, at the beginning of December, to check out an elderly member that had started to feel unwell in the restaurant after an evening meal.**

**But as she continued her drive there, all she could really think about was if Leon Carousi still owned the place and whatever had happened to his daughter Stacey. Kelly had been secretly glad when Stacey had gone back to the east coast again at the end of the summer. She hadn't admitted it to anyone at the time, not even Lisa or Jessie, but she had been incredibly jealous of Zack and Stacey's relationship. For now though, she had to forget those painful memories and concentrate on making one of the guests well again. That was what she kept telling herself that she pulled in to the parking lot anyway.**

**A/N Thanks again to Sunrise19 for this storyline idea!! And it gave me an excuse to watch all the episodes again where they worked at the beach club resort!!!!**


	18. Chapter 18

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Eighteen

A Reunion

When Kelly got in to the restaurant at the club, the elderly patient she had been called out to see, now seemed fine and was sitting recovering with a glass of water. It had turned out the lady had had a bad attack of Angina and her husband had thought it best to ring the doctor, even though she had been managing her Angina attacks for years. Kelly gave her a quick check over and reassured them both and was just on her way out of the club through reception when she was called over.

'Excuse me Doctor?'

'Can I help you?'

'I just wanted to say thanks for getting here so quickly.'

'It's my job when I'm on call. And I am sure your member is going to be fine. I told them not to hesitate to call me back if they are worried about anything.'

'Thank you. Hang on a minute though. This will probably sound silly to you, but you remind me a lot of a kid who worked here for me one summer a long time ago.'

That was when Kelly also realised she was now talking to her former employer, a now very grey haired and very thinned out Leon Carousi.

'Mr Carousi, I did work here for you one summer when I was in high school. In fact I worked here with my best friends. I was one of your lifeguards, Kelly, Kelly Kapowski, though actually its Dr Morris now.'

'I just knew I recognised you. Would you like to have a drink in the cocktail lounge with me?'

'I would love too. Just a juice though, I'm still on duty and driving.'

The beach club really hadn't changed much, except all the décor had changed to move with the times, but the layout of the club was exactly the same as kelly had remembered it.

'So do you still hire kids for the summers or just keep a permanent staff now you open all year round?'

'Both. I keep a permanent staff and take on high school and college kids Christmas and summer vacations. You still see the kids you used to hang out with?'

'All the time. I even married one of them. I'm sure you remember Zack Morris.'

'How could I forget him. He stole my Stacey's heart that summer and caused me a lot of headaches. So tell me, what does Zack do with himself these days?'

Leon Carousi had thought that Zack Morris had too much of a laid back attitude to ever make a decent career for himself.

'Zack was a banker for over ten years, but then he changed his career and now teaches business studies at our old high school.'

'I am impressed', Leon Carousi genuinely was 'So what are the other kids doing with themselves now?'

Of all the kids that had passed through his beach club staff doors before and since, it was Zack Morris and his friends that had always stuck in his memory. He spent the next two hours enjoying hearing about what they were all up to now.

'Of course, that would be Jessie I've seen leaving the courts on television. I love the way she always refuses to talk to the press about the divorce settlement she has just helped her client win. She was the best receptionist I ever had.'

'So Mr Carousi, I've told you all about us, but what is Stacey up to these days? Is she still on the east coast?'

'She was, but after her divorce last year she came back out here to work for me permanently. Her divorce settlement wasn't very good and her lawyer wasn't very good. I should have hired your friend Jessie for her. I will next time, though I sincerely hope there won't be a next time, her divorce was really painful for her.'

'I'm sorry to hear that. I hope she is okay now'

'Slowly she is. You don't get over a break up of a ten year marriage just like that. I should know, Stacey was fourteen when her Mother and I divorced.'

Kelly was about to get up and leave the building again when she noticed a woman come in to the bar area and tell the waiter he could go off for the night and then realised it was Stacey herself.

'You had a busy night dad?'

'I have indeed and an interesting one too. Stacey, meet an old friend of yours, Dr Kelly Morris.'

'Sorry , it doesn't ring any bells. Were we at school together on the east coast?'

'No, I worked here for you and your Father one summer. I was Kelly Kapowski then and I was one of your lifeguards.'

'I remember you. So what brings you here at this hour? I didn't even know you were a member.'

'I'm not, I may earn good money, but I can't afford your prices. No our surgery takes its turn on the doctor on call rota for the club. I was just on my way out from checking over one of your members when I bumped in to your Father here and we got chatting.'

'Hang on, did you say your name was Morris now?'

'That's right, I married a guy called Zack Morris. I'm sure you remember him, you guys went out all that summer.'

Stacey sure did remember Zack Morris and how much she had missed him when she had gone back to school when the summer was over. They had promised to write to each other every day. She had sort of kept her promise, she had written to him everyday, telling him how much she missed him and loved him and couldn't wait to be together with him again. She just hadn't ever posted any of those letters, scared he no longer felt the same way about her. Well, that had proved to be true, because he had never written to her , not once.

It had only been a matter of a couple of months before she was back with her old boyfriend Craig who was at Princeton, the guy she had actually dumped for Zack that summer. She had married Craig and he had broken her heart one too many times, the time they finally divorced. Throughout their marriage he had had no less than three affairs and it had been after she had caught him out the third time that she had called time on the marriage and decided she wasn't going to let him break her heart ever again.

Nowadays Stacey had vowed never to get involved in a relationship again, but it was nice to hear things had worked out for some people. Neither could she also help but feel a stab of envy though, life in the Morris household sounded idyllic compared to her own rotten experience of marriage and as she spent more and more time talking to Kelly, she couldn't help but wonder what might have been if she hadn't returned to the east coast at the end of that summer.

Kelly stayed for a further two hours talking to Stacey and Leon Carousi, reminiscing about that summer and then she found herself inviting them over to visit one day soon.

'I know Zack would love to see you again and so would everyone else. You should come over for dinner one evening', Kelly suggested to them and the time she left they had swapped mobile numbers and email addresses.

It certainly meant there was lots to talk about at breakfast in the Morris household the next morning.

'Mum, I can't believe you met one of Dad's old girlfriends. Did he have lots of girlfriends before you?'

'Sophie, your Dad had lots of girlfriends before and after me. We had a sort of on and off relationship all the way through school, until he finally proposed to me freshman year of college. But we won't bore you with that story all over again.'

'Anyway Sophie, you will get to meet Stacey for yourself this week. She and her Father are coming over for dinner Thursday night. We arranged it all this morning, everyone's coming. You can join us for dinner. I'm sure Screech and Nicola will be bringing Josie and Paul along too, so its not like you will have to listen to boring adult conversation all night.'

Then Zack noticed Sophie, who usually had a ravenous appetite had barely touched her breakfast and he had gone to the hassle of poaching her eggs just the way she liked them.

'What's up Sophie? Something on your mind?'

'Dad, I can't stop thinking about the SAT's yesterday. I keep going over and over the questions in my head. I think I done terrible Dad. I'm going to be the laughing stock of the school. Half the junior class don't think I should be with them anyway because I'm younger. This will just prove them right.'

And then Sophie did something she was rarely known to do, always the comforter among her friends, she burst in to tears and it made Zack feel guilty for letting her take the tests so soon. He felt terrible, she may have been academically ready, but maybe they should have stopped to think if she was emotionally ready.

'Oh Soph, I'm sure it will be fine.'

'Dad, it won't be. I done terrible', she was sobbing in her Father's arms. She hadn't done that since she was a little girl of seven and had fallen on some gravel on the sidewalk and had cut her knee really badly.

'Sophie, we love you for you, not because of what you can achieve. You done your best and that's all that matters. Besides SAT's aren't the be all and end all. And if you don't believe me, just ask Jessie the next time you see her. She went through a hell of a time after only getting a twelve hundred on her SAT's and look how well she has done.'

'A twelve hundred, Dad I would just die if I only got a twelve hundred. Everyone would laugh at me.'

'No they wouldn't Sophie, that's a good score.'

But Sophie still couldn't stop crying.

'Sophie I'm sorry if it felt like us or the school put pressure on you to take these tests. We didn't mean too.'

'You didn't Dad. I wanted to take them. I enjoyed doing all those practice papers. But when I sat down I was just so nervous and for a few minutes my mind went completely blank. I could barely fill in my name.'

'Sophie, I think you and I need to have some fun?'

'Like what?'

'I don't know, you make a suggestion. How about it Kelly? You up for some fun too?'

'It depends on what you decide on.'

'That is completely up to Sophie here. I think Sophie needs to forget all about studying and tests for a while , at least until school starts on a Monday morning. But Sophie, we love you and we always will, no matter what you do or don't do and that includes the curse of the SAT's. And not only that Sophie, my SAT results almost ruined my life. Mr Belding tried to put me in all sorts of nerd classes, advanced calculus, college level Russian, it was awful.'

Zack made Sophie smile for the first time that morning.

'So what did you do to get out of it Dad? You did get out of it didn't you?'

'Oh yes, your Dad got out of it alright', Kelly smiled at the memory herself, remembering the extreme lengths Zack had gone too.

'I sure as hell did. I'll tell you all about it in the car. Now where is it to be?'

'Somewhere you took Ben and I when we were little , but we haven't been since. Disneyland.'

'Disneyland it is. Come on, lets all go for a day away from it all. I think its something we all need and deserve.'


	19. Chapter 19

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Nineteen

Dinner With The Carousi's

'So let me get this straight Kelly, you invited Stacey Carousi for dinner with us all at your house?'

'And her Father Jessie.'

'I don't understand why you would invite either of them. Leon Carousi spent an entire summer making our lives hell and it was obvious you were jealous of Zack and Stacey's relationship that entire summer.'

'Oh come on, it was years ago, we were kids. Besides how did you know? I never told anyone how I really felt about Zack and Stacey going out.'

'You didn't have to Kelly, it was obvious. That and you hardly dated anyone all summer.'

'And neither did you.'

'I didn't have time. I was busy.'

'Yes I seem to remember, you were busy spending all your spare time with Slater, until he finally got himself a date the last weekend of course and you should have seen the jealousy in your eyes.'

'Yes well, look how long that lasted. He had forgotten all about her the time school started again. Anyway Kelly, never mind me, we are talking about you. How do you think you are going to feel seeing Zack and Stacey in the same room after all this time?'

'Fine, I think. Jessie , it was all a long time ago. I felt sorry for her Jessie. It doesn't sound like she has many friends since she came to live out here. And that Craig that she married, he turned out to be even more horrible than we all thought he was. It made me realise just how lucky I am with Zack and my life.'

'Kelly, your suffering the same syndrome you suffered from in high school. It's called being too nice.'

'You are going to come to the dinner aren't you?'

'Of course. I just think it was a mad thing for you to do to invite them. Anyway Kelly, its time I got myself to the office.'

'At ten in the morning. I just assumed you were working from home today.'

'You must be kidding. I've got a huge pile of work on my desk in the office. I just go in later now. My doctor said the stress of commuting isn't good for you while your pregnant, so I avoid the rush hours. I go in later and usually stay later, though sometimes I leave earlier and bring some work home with me. Slater only nags at me if I stay at the office too late.'

'And I'm glad he does. We all know what a workaholic you are.'

'Then you will be pleased to hear next week, I have a real easy week at work. It's all uncontested divorces, a far cry from the cases of the likes of Carly Sampson, though you all know that's what I thrive on the best.'

'We do. Leon Carousi said he has seen you leaving the courts on television after some big case. He said he loves the way you are always so professional and always refuse to talk to the press. Honestly, Jessie , talking to him the other night, it was so different from how he spoke to us when we were his employees at the beach club. I bet you and he will get on great.'

'Okay Kelly, I'll take your word for it, until I meet him again anyway. Now I really do have to get going.'

'Me too, got to get on with those house calls.'

Kelly had called by Kelly's on the off chance someone would be home, so she could tell them about her unexpected meeting with the Carousi's. But Jessie had hit on a hard truth for her. Something she had almost forgotten , or rather tried to forget. Zack had been in love with Stacey that summer. But she was also sure now that was all it was, a long in the past summer romance. Besides, she couldn't uninvite them now, that would be rude.

On their lunch break in school Zack was confiding in Screech. They were sat eating their lunch in the principals office.

'Screech, can you belive my wife invited an ex-girlfriend of mine to dinner? I wouldn't mind if it was one of the girls I dated that never meant a thing to me and lets face it, I dated a lot of those in high school. But Stacey Carousi, it might have been just a summer romance, but for those couple of months, she really meant something to me. I loved her. She was the only other girl I ever imagined I could be with forever. It broke my heart when she left for school again. Of course, once we were seniors back in school, I knew I had been wrong and that Kelly really was the only girl for me, but it doesn't change the fact that at that time, I really thought Stacey was the one. And now she's coming to dinner at my house. We haven't even been in touch since the night she left for home. How would you feel if Nicola invited one of your teenage sweethearts and her Father to dinner at her house?'

'Violet, well according to what the internet tells me, Violet is now a research scientist, currently based on a station in Antartica, so she's hardly likely to take up an ivitation to come round to dinner anytime soon. And lets face it , Violet's Father would never come to dinner at my house, not after that time I went to dinner at his house. I'm glad Nicola's parents are both deceased and I won't ever have to go through dinner with the parents ever again.'

'No, what about when Paul gets serious with a girl for the first time and you have to go and meet her parents for a joint dinner?'

'I like to think that won't be for a while. He is far more interested in squash and cars than girls. Besides, I'll have Nicola by my side to support me. So what are you going to do about this dinner with the Carousi's?'

'Endure it, I suppose. I haven't really got any choice in the matter. I'm just glad I'm going away for the weekend afer school the next day.'

'Your really going to go away on your own?'

'It's only for a weekend Screech and I really think I need to, especially after this.'

'Your be bored Zack, no family around, no friends around.'

'That's exactly why I'm doing it Screech. A few weeks ago something occurred to me. I've never spent anytime alone. For just two days, I want to know what its like to have no one else to worry about. I'll play some golf, watch some TV.'

'And you will be bored by Saturday afternoon. I can tell you exactly what that's like Zack, boring. I know, I spent plenty of time on my own for years.'

'Screech, I guess I've just got to find that out for myself. I'm relying on you to help me get through this dinner okay. You were always good at starting conversations about anything when the conversations dried up.'

'You can still rely on me to fill those awkward moments Zack.'

Thursday evening Zack made sure that Screech and Nicola and Jessie and Slater had instructions to arrive half hour before they were expecting the Carousi's.

Kelly and Zack had thought all the kids would probably be bored, all the adults talking about old times in their first real summer jobs, so they had given Sophie the money to go to the cinema with Paul and Josie. Nicola had even let Josie borrow her car, so she could give them all a ride there and back.

It almost felt a like a normal night, Zack and Kelly having their closeset friends round for dinner as Zack poured them all their regular drinks. They were still waiting for Lisa and Darren to arrive, as always they were fashionably late and no one ever expected anything else of them. It was Lisa and Darren Zack was expecting to see when he next heard and answered the door, but it wasn 't. There, stood on his doorstep was Stacey and Leon Carousi.

'Hello there', he greeted them, trying to get over the shock of seeing Stacey again for the first time in so many years. 'Come on in, everyone is dying to see you. Lisa and Darren should be here soon, don't be offended by their lateness, its just the way they are. I think it comes from years of always trying to be late at New York fashion parties.'

Zack handed their coats for Kelly to take and then showed them in to their lounge.

'I guess there isn't really any need for introductions , except for Nicola here of course. Leon, Stacey, this is Screech's wife, Nicola.'

'Hi, pleased to meet you both. I've heard all about the summer Sam and his friends worked at the beach club.'

'It's a year round resort now', Leon Carousi told them, ever the business man.

'Now, can I get you guys a drink? Stacey?', Zack offered.

'Brandy please, neat , on ice'.

Stacey knew only too well, it should be an after dinner drink, but she needed it to calm her nerves from the surreal situation. She was being served a drink by the man she had once had a summer romance with as a teenager. And she was also about to have dinner with his friends that she had spent an entire summer bossing about, though most of them had at least respected her. And Lisa, who hadn't even arrived yet ,she had had the opposite relationship too. She had , had to pander to Lisa's every whim, her family being well respected members of the club. And now, as she looked at them all , every single one of them had done so much better than she had. It was depressing, as nice as it also was in some kind of strange way to see them all again. She needed a cigarette, despite having given up two years before.'

'Um Dad, you got a cigarette I can have?'

'I thought you gave up Stacey', Leon reached in to his pocket for his cigarettes.

'I just started again. Thanks Dad. Do you gusys mind if I go out and have a cigarette in your yard?'

'Sure, right this way', Zack showed her through the conservatory and out on to the veranda, where she sat down, lit her cigarette and took sip of her brandy. That was when Zack realised how nervous Stacey was.

'Stacey, this does feel weird seeing you again after all this time. But you don't need to be nervous around us. Kelly and I and everyone else, we thought how nice it would be to see you and your Father again.'

Zack lied, he could never tell her what a terrible idea he thought the whole thing was. He hadn't even had the guts to tell Kelly that, she had been so excited about the whole thing.

'How can I not be nervous around you all Zack? You're the kids that made good. Every single one of you has some kind of career to be proud of. And you, you've got the best kids, I can tell that by what Kelly told me and the pictures in your lounge. What did I do with my life? Nothing?', Stacey took another gulp of her brandy.

'It's never too late to change things Stacey. You should talk to Nicola. She will make you feel better. She's going to be forty soon and she's going back to college to be a full time mature student next September.'

'Good for her, but lets face it Zack. I took the easy way out. I married Craig. His family is old money. I never had to work, neither did he. He spent all his time chasing other women and I spent my time helping other rich wives with charity events for one thing or another? Do you have any idea how boring that got after a while?'

' I can't even imagine Stacey.'

'Put it this way, loading the glasses in to the dishwasher behind the bar in the club is far more exciting.'

'I'm sorry Stacey.'

'What are you sorry about? I made the choices I did, I've got to live with them.'

Stacey finished her cigarette and Zack was relived to be going back inisde.

'Come on, lets go back inside and join everyone else. We can at least remincise about the good times we had that summer.'

When they went back in to the lounge, Lisa and Darren had finally arrived.

'Stacey, this is Lisa's husband Darren.'

'Pleased to meet you', Stacey shook the hand of the man she had seen in the pictures with Lisa and Crystal when Lisa had let one of the glossy magazines do an at home feature on her a few months back.

Leon Carousi had latched on to Lisa straight away.

'Lisa, I can't tell you how much we miss your parents membership at the club. Why did they retire to Florida anyway? The weather is just as good here in LA.'

'It wasn't for the weather Mr Carousi, it was always their dream.'

Lisa knew when he said he missed their membership it was exactly that, the money their membership brought in. Leon Carousi certainly hadn't mellowed with age.

'Please, Lisa, all of you, call me Leon.'

'Okay everyone, dinner's ready', Kelly told them. She had spent the entire afternoon of her day off in the kitchen preparing a three course meal for them all.

Zack poured everyone a glass of wine and a glass of sparkling grape juice each for Jessie and Slater.

Kelly had seated Leon and Stacey in the middle of the table so they could see everyone easily. Zack wasn't sure that was such a good idea, but it was too late to change it now, everyone was seated. It was clear throughout the meal that Leon was having fun catching up with everyone and that Stacey quite clearly wasn't. The time Zack got up to make the coffee, at which time Jessie retreated in to the lounge before the smell got to her, Stacey was ready to leave.

'Dad, its getting late. I need to go and check on things at the club.'

'Don't be silly Stacey. That's why I hired two assistant managers. Sit back down and enjoy your coffee. So Lisa, tell me more about this postgrad fashion school you are opening.'

'I need another cigarette', Leon handed her one while still engrossed in his conversation with Lisa.

Stacey took her coffee and went back out in to Zack and Kelly's yard and lit her cigarettes. _Reunions, they aren't good for you_, she thought to herself. They drove you back to old habits. Having not smoked a cigarette for two years , she had now smoked two in one evening.


	20. Chapter 20

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Twenty

After Dinner

Zack and Kelly were loading up the dishwasher and washing up the numerous glasses that had been used that evening. Sophie had come home, just as the last of their guests were leaving and had gone straight to bed.

'How different leon Carousi is when he isn't your boss. I'm glad we did this, it was nice to get together with them again wasn't it?'

'No. Open your eyes Kelly, the whole evening was an uncomfortable disaster.'

'No it wasn't Zack, Leon didn't want to leave.'

'Okay, maybe it wasn't uncomfortable for Leon, but it was uncomfortable for Stacey, she couldn't wait to leave and it was uncomfortable for me. How would you like it if I had invited Jeremiah Lasky over for dinner out of the blue after all this time? Would you be comfortable with that? Wouldn't you find it hard to have a normal conversation with him?'

'Zack, why didn't you tell me you felt like this?'

'Because you invited them without even checking with me and it would have been rather rude to univte them, though Stacey would have probably preferred it. You know she went outside to smoke twice, her Father said she gave up two years ago. That's what being here with us done to her Kelly. She told me she feels inferior to us all because she hasn't done anything with her life.'

'Zack, I was just trying to be nice. I got the impression she didn't have many friends out here. But now I realise I was wrong, because suddenly all you seem to care about is how bad we made Stacey feel. Jessie was right, sometimes, I am way too nice', Kelly slammed the dishwasher door shut. She felt close to tears and went and sat in the lounge on her own. What she had thought had been a good evening, had actually turned out to be a disastrous idea.

Remembering her short lived affair with Professor Jeremiah Lasky in college, she tried to imagine how she would feel if he suddenly walked in to her lounge, here, now. She could barely imagine it. She was beginning to understand how Zack felt now and felt bad for the evening she had just made him endure. Thank god Leon Carousi and Screech had been around to keep neutral conversations going amongst everyone. Inviting the Carousi's for dinner , had been the stupidest, dumbest thing, she had ever done, except for perhaps getting involved with her professor in college.

She heard Zack banging the cupboard as he started putting some of the glasses away after he had dried and polished them and she went back to join him. She picked up a tea towel and one of the wine glasses to dry and polish.

'Zack, I've been thinking. Inviting the Carousi's, it was a really dumb idea. I'm sorry.'

'Well just think before your implement such a stupid idea next time Kelly. I can't stop thinking about what we put poor Stacey through. We should send her some flowers or something to say sorry.'

'Poor Stacey, send her flowers. Here I am feeling guilty for how I made you feel and all you can talk about is poor Stacey. You know what, you send her flowers, go live happily ever after with her for all I care', Kelly smashed the glass she had been drying on the counter and it smashed in to tiny pieces on the floor, she smashed it that hard.

'Oh great Kelly, now look what you've done. Thanks to you being ridiculous and going overboard, that was one of our best wine glasses.'

'Oh that is so like you, putting so much sentiment on material things.'

'They were a wedding present Kelly, remember?'

Kelly looked at the smashed pieces of glass on the floor.

'How appropiate', she stood on them hard with her shoe heels so they separated in to even more pieces.

'Your getting things out of proportion Kelly. All I said was I felt bad for and old friend and you've got me running off to go and live with her. You were the one that invited her. I didn't even want her to come, you were the one that welcomed her to this house.'

'That's it. Blame me for how you feel. Why is it that when I try to do my best for everyone, I 'm the one that ends up hurting? I send my son away to school because its what he wants and for his future, no matter how much I miss him every day. I let my daughter take her SAT's early and now I see her worrying about them every day. And no my husband wants to send flowers to the object of some teenage summer romance', Kelly slunk to the floor in tears, only just avoiding the shattered pieces of glass that laid there.

That was when Zack realised Kelly must have been feeling exactly the same things she had since Ben's departure for school and Sophie skipping two grades of school and able to take her SAT's early. They just hadn't spoken about it and if they had, not nearly enough.

Zack sunk down next to Kelly, the opposite side to where the glass was shattered. He wanted to pull her close, but only dared to so much as gently take her hand and that he was half expecting her to yank away. He was relieved when she didn't.

'Don't cry Kelly. Look, I'm sorry I felt bad for Stacey. I just did. I did love her once, I can't help the past. You should know that. You've never denied you once loved Jeremiah and I wouldn't expect you too. But Kelly , that's where it all is, in the past. I only felt bad for Stacey in a friendly way. But this isn't all about Stacey and this evening is it? You miss Ben, so do I , every day. The house is so empty without him and his violin. Even though we let him go because that's what he wanted, we can't help missing him.'

'I hate it Zack. Every night I come home from work and there is nobody here, no Ben with his violin, no Sophie because she's out with her friends, staying late at some school club or at the library doing her homework.'

'I think its called empty nest syndrome Kel.' Zack dared to move his arm round her 'And I know how you feel. I feel just the same. Though I guess its happened early for us. Generally I don't think you are supposed to feel it until your kids go off to college.'

'That won't be far away for Sophie now, not the way she's ploughing ahead through high school.. How we got such a genius for a daughter I'll never know. I miss our little girl.'

'Me too, but you know what Kel, I realised something else the other day. Remember when she was crying, worrying over her SATs results, she still needs us, so does Ben, even though he isn't here. They will always need us, we just have to accept they are both growing up , fast , in both their cases. Let's face it, now he is away at school Ben has probably left home for good. He will only live here on vacations from now on.'

'I can't wait to go and get Ben from school for Christmas, but already I am dreading having to say goodbye when he goes back.'

'Kelly, I've missed him that much, he can play _Waltz Of The Flowers_ as much as he likes while he is home. In fact, I will probably even ask him to play it for us. In the meantime why don't you come away to Palm Springs with me for the weekend tomorrow night? I can knock the golf on the head, they won't miss me. Don't you think we could do with some time alone, away from home?'

'Yes, but what about Sophie?'

'She can stay home alone, she's old enough to look after herself now. Besides if she's going away to college in eighteen months its time she started to learn to look after herself.'

'Okay, but only if she wants to and we will have to set some ground rules. We can tell her in the morning. I'm sure she will be thrilled to be left alone for the weekend. I know I would have been when I was her age, but there was never any chance of that with all my brothers and sisters. Zack, I'm sorry for the way I over reacted about Stacey. It must have been awkward for you and her and I promise, I'll try and keep my bad ideas to myself in the future. I am too nice for my own good sometimes and this time it backfired.'

'It's okay Kel and being nice is a good thing most of the time. I mean, I wouldn't like to be married to a horrible person.'

Though right then Zack was feeling rather horrible inside himself. Had he really been looking forward to getting away on his own for a weekend without Kelly? That was madness. He knew now he wouldn't have enjoyed it and was glad he had seen sense. What he and Kelly needed was some time alone together away from work and away from home where they wouldn't be feeling the emptiness now their kids weren't around so much.

Upstairs, in her bedroom, Sophie Morris was lying awake. There was only hours left until her SAT's results would be available online. She was dreaded hers so much, she knew there was only one thing left to do, run away. Everyone had arranged to meet at the Powers household before school the following morning to open their results. She really couldn't face doing that in front of everyone else. She couldn't fake being ill, that would be too obvious to all her friends. Not only that, she had decided she didn't want to know her SAT scores, ever. Therefore, there was only one thing for it, she was going away , forever. She had some money saved, then she could lie about her age and get a full time job. Her Mum had told her stories all about when she had been at Waitress in high school and Screech's wife had been a waitress for a while, maybe she could do something like that too.

Her parents had reassured her they loved her and that SAT's results didn't matter in the least, but it didn't help. No matter how much her parents loved her, it didn't help the fact she felt a failure within herself. She couldn't cope with being a failure, especially not among her own friends and family. That was why she had to go away and start a new life where nobody knew her.

She knew her parents hadn't gone to bed yet, but as soon as she heard them come up the stairs and shut their bedroom door, she was leaving. She had her ticket booked on a 4am greyhound bus to Phoenix. She even had enough to book herself in to a motel for a few nights. She just couldn't face life at Bayside and at home as the girl that got the worst SAT score of them all. As soon as she was sure her parents were asleep she made for the door with her one holdall and waited for the cab she had booked to pick her up at the end of their street. She had an hour until she departed for Phoenix. She knew it would be scary at first, going out on her own, but there was really no alternative. SAT scores would never haunt her again. She was heading for Phoenix, Arizona. Or so she thought. She had only been in the bus station ten minutes and was looking at the arrivals and departure boards when Jessie and Slater walked in. And there was no time to hide, they had spoted her straight away and were upon her before she even had a chance to glance back at the screens.


	21. Chapter 21

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Twenty-One

SAT's Results For The Kids

'Sophie Morris, what an earth are you doing here on your own at this hour?', Jessie was shocked to see her there.

'Never mind this hour, this is no place to be for a girl your age on her own at any hour', Slater added, unable to believe the sensible teenager, mature for her age was here himself.

'Well , what are you two doing here?', Sophie asked them, trying to buy some time to come up with an excuse. Trust her parents best friends to show up and ruin all her plans.

'We're adults Sophie, we don't have to explain ourselves to you. But if you really want to know we are meeting Jessie's Mum off the bus from San Francisco, she is coming to stay for a long weekend.'

'That's the trouble isn't it. Everyone wants me to be grown up all the time and I'm just not ready to be. That's' why I'm going away to Phoenix. Please don't tell my parents, I just can't face it anymore. Everyone is just going to laugh at me when those results come out tomorrow or rather later this morning. I have to go to Phoenix, please, pretend you never saw me', Sophie pleaded with them.

'We can't do that Sophie, you parents will be worried sick',Slater looked at her like she was crazy, but then noticed the bus from San Francisco was due in any minute.

'Sophie, were you really running away because of your SAT results? You haven't even opened them yet.'

'Jessie, I don't want to have to open them ever. That is why I thought I would just leave and go and be a Waitress in Phoenix or something. It was the first place I chose on the map.'

'Sophie, listen to me okay. Running away, it doesn't solve anything, it just makes things worse. I ran away when I wasn't much younger than you and I barely survived two days. Please Sophie, don't make us take you home, be sensible and let us take you home.'

'I can't Jessie. I love Mum and Dad, but I'm going to be such a dissappointment to them now, I can't go home , ever. We are all supposed to go to Screech's house and open our results online before school this morning, I can't do that.'

'Then how about I call your parents and you stay with us tonight. In fact you can even stay with us for the weekend if your parents say its okay. It might do you good, you can get away for a while without having to run away. That's okay isn't it Slater.'

'Sure, besides Zack would kill us both if we didn't take care of you Sophie. We couldn't leave you here, what if something happened to you? No , come and stay with us for the weekend, the spare guest bedroom is all made up and Jessie's Mum always stays at the hotel, so you haven't got to fight her for it and I'm sure you wouldn't want to sleep in a half decorated nursery anyway.'

'And talking of my Mum, I think her bus just pulled in. Come on Sophie, your coming with us.'

'Mum, I can't believe its been so long', Jessie hugged her Mum almost as soon as she was off the bus.

'Neither can I Jessie, but you know how it is with your Stepfather. He probably won't ever come out of hospital now. I just can't look after him at home anymore. It's so good to see you, hang on isn't that Zack's daughter?'

'Yes and that Mum, is a long story, we will tell you all about it in the car.'

'It's okay. I was running away because I'm terrified of getting my SAT scores, but Jessie and Slater found me here when they arrived to meet you off the bus.'

'Thank god I caught one of the late night buses from San Francisco.'

'So Mum, what are your plans for the weekend?'

'Have dinner with you two tomorrow night, catch up with my friends and then Sunday, I thought I could take you shopping for something for the baby.'

'Thanks Mum, wait until you come over and see what Martin and Carol have do ne turning one of the spare rooms in to the nursery.'

'Slater , your parents are decorating the nursery?'

'They are. Jessie and I did start work on it, but we are both always so busy we just weren't getting very far. But Mum and Dad said they needed something to keep their minds occupied especially with Janine and everything. Jessie and I picked all the paint out and everything when we made our slow start on it and now they come round and work on it most weekdays while we are at work.'

'Mum and Dad said I never had my own room until I was a year old.'

'You sort of did Sophie. In your Mum and Dad's old apartment they pulled a curtain down the side of the room, so you could have your own little minature bedroom'

'I wish I was still little.' Sophie didn't know what she was feeling anymore, she wasn't sure if she was relieved or annoyed Jessie and Slater had walked in to the bus station terminal when they did.

After they dropped Jessie's Mum off at the hotel, Slater spoke the words Sophie had been dreading.

'Sophie its nearly four in the morning, we've got to call your parents before they wake up and discover you are gone.'

'They never get up much before six, unless Mum is on call at night.'

'Sophie , the longer you leave it, the worse its going to be. I'm calling your Dad now.'

Jessie picked up her cell and dialled Zack and Kelly's number.

When it was over , Sophie was relieved. Jessie had even made her speak to her Dad and she couldn't believe he had remained so calm. They he had warned her, they would be discussing her actions at length when she came home after her weekend staying with Jessie and Slater. But he had also told her , he was going to tell the school and everyone else that she was sick so she didn't have to go in that day.

'Sophie , you need some sleep, but your not going to sleep worrying about those stupid test results.', Jessie headed for the lounge table as soon as they got in the door and switched on her laptop.

'Don't you mean the results that are going to prove I'm stupid?'

'Sophie, those results will have come online at midnight. You can check them now, then go and have a good nights sleep in the guest room, its got a power shower and a flat screen TV.'

'What, are you guys running a hotel now?'

'No Sophie, believe it or not, back in high school Slater and I used to argue so much, when we first got back together a few years ago, we set it up for those times when we argued and didn't want to be near each other for a while.'

'I guess it gets used a lot then.'

'Not really, we both discovered we had sort of mellowed out as we grew up. Don't get me wrong, we still have our moments and when we argue, we really do argue, trust me, but we would rather sit down and work it out, even agree to disagree than just stay mad at each other. Sophie, this really can't be that interesting to you. You are just trying to delay the inevitable aren't you and look all you have to do now is go to the site and get your result.'

'Did you really only get a twelve hundred Jessie?'

'Yes I did and it all turned out fine.'

'And Sophie, I only got a ten fifty, I did okay, SAT scores, they aren't everything.'

'So everyone keeps telling me.'

'Well then , what are you waiting for?'

'I wish I had given you guys the slip and gone to Phoenix after all.'

'Sophie, I may not be able to run much right now, but you know well enough Slater would have caught you faster than anything. Anyway Sophie, stop delaying it and open it.

'Go on Sophie, I bet you got more than a ten-fifty', Slater tried to encourage her.

'And now I'm more nervous than the morning we all opened ours in our snail mail envelopes at the max You think your wait was bad Sophie, imagine a life without the internet and having to wait weeks for the post.'

Sophie finally pressed the button that would reveal the score, that would determine her future, or at least what colleges would accept her. Maybe it wasn't going to be so bad after all and if it was, she knew Jessie and Slater wouldn't laugh at her like the rest of the junior class.

'I don't believe it', Sophie stared at the screen, unable to to believe the number she was seeing against her name. 'That can't be right, I did terrible. I was so nervous. Please you guys, read that number out to me, check I am seeing it right.'

'Sophie, if you are seeing a fifteen hundred and fifty-four, that's the right number. Well done Sophie', Slater checked it again for her.

'You really are a genius Sophie, well done, now do you think you can sleep easy?'

'Better than I've slept since I took the test probably.'

Sophie went to sleep in Jessie and Slater's guest room relieved she had been prevented from running away after all and relief she really was as intelligent as everyone thought she was. She was also glad she hadn't had to open her results in front of all her close friends, she had never wanted to do that.

While Sophie slept, Jessie and Slater were reminiscing about the day they opened their SAT scores and he was teasing Jessie about the fuss she had made over them.

'Ha. Remember Darlene, the girl who boasted in front of me about getting a twelve eighty, it didn't do her much good. She dropped out of law school, where as I on the other hand am the top divorce lawyer in LA.'

A few hours later, Josie, Paul and Martin Belding were all hovering around the desktop computer in the Powers household lounge.

Jose went first as no one else would and she was completely ecstatic over her result.

'Wow, I got a thirteen hundred. I never thought I would do that well. Perhaps I won't have to rely on a sports scholarship after all.'

Paul went next.

'I can't believe it either, I got an eleven hundred and eighty.'

'Then I guess I am going to be the only one in the room with a score of less than four digits', said Martin as he went to take his turn at the computer. 'No, that can't be right, eleven hundred and ninety, That should at least please my parents, but I'm still not changing my choice of colleges.

In the school office at Bayside, Screech was looking at the list of SAT scores.

'That's no surprise who got the best score in the school', he told Zack, who had come by to tell him that Sophie was sick.

'Don't tell me, that weird science geek kid, whose in my business studies class?'

'Celia Turin, no she only got a fifteen hundred, but with a fifteen hundred and fifty-four, Sophie Morris got the best score in the school. Your daughter is practically a genius.'

'What a relief, when I think of what that poor kid has been through with all this. Kelly and I were starting to feel guilty letting her take the test so soon.'

'But Zack, if she was only in the freshman class now , she would be bored, you and I both know that.'

Right then, Sophie was anything but bored. She was enjoying watching the morning shows on TV in bed and ther were so many to choose from. She couldn't belive how many cable channels there were, especially as Jessie and Slater told her they rarely had time to watch TV. Still, at least she was making use of it. She liked being here, it was like home from home. It was eleven before she even got out of bed and took a shower and put on the fresh clothes Jessie had given her to wear before she went to bed. She felt quite grown up wearing expensive designer clothes, even if they were only a casual pair of jeans and a t-shirt. _One day, I'll be able to afford nice clothes like this and a nice place to live in_, she thought to herself.

Sophie heard Slater's parents arrive and heard them bickering with each other over the decorating. When she emerged, Jessie was doing some work in the lounge and Slater was making toast, croissants and tea for everyone.

'Shouldn't both of you be at work now?'

'No, long weekend for us both. We are off to meet my Mum shortly. You can come with us or you can hang out here , its up to you. Like I said , think of it as a weekend away.'

'Would your parents mind if I helped them decorate Slater?'

'I shouldn't think so, they will probably be glad of the help.'

Later as Sophie was helping decorate, she found she was enjoying herself, having fun, and then she realised why, it was the first time she had really been able to relax since she had even started thinking about taking her SAT's. Her parents had taken her for a lovely day at Disneyland, but every time they had stopped to queue for a ride or to watch a show, SAT results were always the things that had come to the forefront of her mind straight away. She was so happy it was all over at last.

A/N I know the SAT scoring system is different now to what it was twenty years ago, but I have only used the old system that I know of for this story. Thanks again to everyone that has written reviews recently.


	22. Chapter 22

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Twenty-Two

Zack and Kelly were enjoying having Ben home from school and also seeing Sophie happy again. They had decided a real family Christmas was just what they all needed this year and that they would see all their friends at new year instead.

Since their weekend alone together in Palm Springs, Zack and Kelly had been so much happier. They had talked a lot and there had been no more mention of Stacey Carousi or Kelly's long forgotten affair with her professor.

And now the whole family was back together for Christmas, they both realised that despite how they had been feeling, nothing was worth sacrificing what they had.

'I can't believe I plotted to go away for a whole weekend without you. What a stupid idea that was. We had a great time and you never know, one day you might even get the hang of how to play golf', Zack teased Kelly

It was Christmas Eve and the Morris family were sat in their lounge playing board games as they had Christmas's when Sophie and Ben were a lot younger. The thing was , now they were older, they were even more competitive than they had been as little kids, especially when it came to trivia pursuit, which Ben somehow managed to win.

'They work us hard at school and not just in music practice either', he had told them, though he also made no secret of the fact that he loved it there.

'So now you've managed to completely humiliate all of us are you going to play us _Waltz Of The Flowers_?'

'Dad, I thought you would never ask.'

'You have no idea how much we miss your playing around here', Kelly reassured her son.

'Honest Ben, we do. I listen to the music you made for us on my mp3 all the time', Sophie told him, She really did miss having her brother around, even all the bickering that used to go on between them.

Screech and Nicola were having a far from relaxing Christmas Eve. They were still at the stores in the mall finishing off their Christmas shopping.

Screech had been tutoring after school every day and Nicola had been working part time at a café by the beach, to get some money together for when she was back in school full time from next September. Between them, they hadn't had much time for Christmas shopping.

With regards to Christmas they had also decided it would be much easier to book a restaurant to have lunch in on Christmas day, then they would all go home and open their presents in the afternoon. The leisure centre would be closed Christmas day, so even Josie and Paul would be taking the day off from squash practice for once, though they were at the leisure centre playing now, while Screech and Nicola finished off their shopping.

'I guess that's the kids presents sorted at last, but I haven't got yours yet Sam.'

'You don't have to buy me anything. You already gave me the best present ever in the summer, you married me. That's something I thought no one would ever be brave enough to do', he tried to joke, but he actually really meant it.

Screech couldn't help it, he didn't care who saw, right then, he reached out and kissed his wife right there in the middle of the mall.

'Sam, people will be telling us to get a room. And don't be daft, of course I'm getting you a present for Christmas, though to be honest, aside from the usual boring stuff, I haven't really got any idea what I'm going to get you. It's seven now, shall we meet back here around half past eight before we pick Josie and Paul up from the leisure centre?'

'Sure. I want to go and get something else for you anyway.'

Screech had actually bought most of Nicola's Christmas presents as soon as she had decided which degree she was going to take at USC. She had allowed him to pay for her tution fees, but she had insisted she would buy all her own books. But, she wouldn't be able to object if he gave her all her books for her first year for Christmas. He had also bought her everything else she would need as a student, folders, pens, reams of paper for note taking. And he had even bought her a USC sweatshirt so she would fit right in.

But Screech had wanted to get Nicola something special as well. Nicola had been looking at a pair of gold dangly butterfly earrings in the jewellery store when they were out shopping the week before.

'My Grandmother left me a pair of earrings similar to that. But I lost them the whole year I did complete of college. I think one of the girls in the dorm stole them, but I was never sure' , Nicola had told him ruefully.

Nicola had looked at those earrings for ages and then realised that she couldn't afford them. Okay, it wouldn't be the same as having the ones her Grandmother had gave her, but Screech had been able to tell just how much Nicola had wanted them. He had gone and paid for them the next day and was on his way to pick them up, gift wrapped from the jewellery store now.

Nicola meanwhile was completely stuck as to what to buy her husband. He wasn't in to fashion, he had only just bought a new watch and he had every techie gadget going. But then she came across a section of the store advertising experience days. Most of what was on offer were no good for Sam though, she had heard his disastrous stories of white water rafting in high school and taking a parachute jump out of an aeroplane in college. Anything like that was completely out and so was the theatre, he wasn't in to that sort of thing. And then she found what she was looking for, a zookeeper experience for the day at San Diego Zoo. She looked at all the options on offer. He could spend the day shadowing the zookeeper that looked after the reptiles at the zoo, they could make a weekend of it and he would love it, she was sure.

Lisa and Crystal were spending Christmas eve in a place that was beginning to feel like a second home, LAX airport. Darren was due in at nine o'clock. He had been hoping to get home a few days early this year, but he had had a case go on longer than expected and had only wound up late the day before.

Lisa had been doing this trip so long now, she had made friends with some of the other commuter wives and husbands that she saw here regularly.

Each day Darren was away , she missed him more and more and she worried how much longer they really could go on living like this. Yet, that had agreed that this was what they both wanted and on her part, it had been, at first. But Lisa was realisng now, you couldn't go on like that forever, especially not with a child. She didn't want Crystal missing her Dad every week and she knew just how much Darren missed them both.

Lisa had always thought it would just become easy and they would just get used to this whole way of life, but each time Darren had to leave again she found it harder and harder, though she had never told him how she really felt about it all deep down, not after all she had said before, but maybe it was time she did. After all, they would be getting married in a couple of weeks and one thing she didn know, was that she didn't want to live like this anymore.

'Darren didn't make it home until early Christmas morning last year, thanks to the snow in the windy city', Lisa told Alicia, one of the women she saw at LAX often, whose husband worked up in Seattle.

'That must have been horrible.'

'It was, but luckily Christmas eve I was with my best friends and they looked after me. Don't you wish your husband could work closer to home?'

'I do , but he doesn't want to. He grew up in Seattle you see, it is his home.'

'Why don't you just move there?'

'No way, I am LA born and bred, so it just has to be this way.'

'That's what I used to think, now I'm not so sure it's the best way to live after all.'

'I guess you just have to go with what works for you. It looks like my husbands flight just landed. Happy Christmas.'

'Happy Christmas Alicia.'

Then the announcement came, all the flights from Chicago O'Hare were delayed leaving, once again , thanks to snow and according to the screens , some of them had even been cancelled.

Lisa looked at the screen , which now told her Darren's flight would not arrive for another three hours and she found herself close to tears, having visions of another repeat of last Christmas. She picked up Crystal and took herself off for a coffee in one of the café's in the arrivals terminal. She sat down and hugged Crystal close on her lap.

'It's okay Crystal , Daddy will be home for Christmas soon', she wasn't sure just who she was trying to convince through her tears.

'He is already here', she heard Darrens voice behind her.

Lisa put Crystal back in the high chair, stood up and hugged Darren close.

'I thought you weren't going to make it again. I kept having a vision of a repeat of last Christmas. I love you Darren.'

'I love you Lisa. I decided to surprise you as I managed to get on earlier flight. A colleague needed a later flight so we swapped and am I glad I did. I hear ours was the last plane to take off before all the heavy snow started.'

'I don't want to live like this anymore Darren. I miss you too much. Crystal misses you. You can even share my shoe closet if you want.'

'Me neither Lisa, but I would never dream of asking to share your shoe closet', Darren picked up Crystal and hugged her. 'Hey there, you missed your Dad this week?'

'She misses you every week Darren, like me.'

'She is getting heavy as well', Darren said as he carried her out towards where their chauffeur was waiting.

'She's been trying to walk you know, I don't think it will be long.'

Lisa and Darren both sat in the back seat of the car, Crystal between them in her car seat, both wondering how in the hell they were going to remedy the commuter couple situation before they both became even more unhappy. And they both decided they had to come to some sort of agreement before their wedding. It may have been Christmas eve with lots of people out celebrating, but they knew that once they got home and put Crystal to bed, they had a long night of talking ahead of them, but at least it would be face to face and not long distance on the telephone.

Earlier that afternoon Slater had gone with his parents to put fresh flowers on Janine's grave. Then he had driven them to LAX for their flight to Hawaii. They had decided they just wanted to forget all about Christmas completely that year.

'Perhaps if we aren't home, it won't make things so difficult. In a couple of days it will be a year since we last spoke to her , saw her alive.'

'I know that Mum. I understand. I think the break will do you and Dad good.

Slater and Jessie were now sat home alone in the evening. They could have gone out, but Jessie felt too tired to do anything in the evenings now, despite the fact she had more energy than ever during the day. So they had just decided to spend Christmas Eve at home, watching whatever was on the television.

'Your thinking about Janine still aren't you?'

'I can't help it Jessie. Every time that damn advert comes on for that charity she used to work for. And earlier Mum and Dad pointed out, in a couple of days it will be a year since we last spoke to her and saw her alive I guess it brought it all back.'

'Slater, I know you will probably laugh at this idea, but have you ever considered grief counselling?'

'Your right Jessie, that is a laughable idea.'

'Maybe once, I would have thought so too. But the guy I went to after my Dad died, he really helped me. You never get over losing someone close, but they help you learn how to deal with it'

'Jessie, I don't know, grief counselling, its not really my type of thing.'

'It's not most peoples kind of thing when you think about it. Grief isn't something anyone ever wants to have to deal with, but it is also sort of inevitable. Promise me you will at least think about it.'

'Okay I'll think about it. Just don't tell anyone okay, especially the college wrestling team, they will think I've turned in to a wimp.'

'Slater the college wrestling team haven't lost their only sister this year and in a difficult situation.'

'And it's a good job they haven't lost any meets or they would think I was losing my touch', Slater managed to joke. 'I'm sorry Jessie, its Christmas eve, I shouldn't be all morbid and melancholy .'

'It's okay, I'm not exactly a bundle of laughs myself right now, I'm too tired. But lets do something positive. Lets get the baby name book out again and see if we can finally agree on a couple of names for the shortlist tonight.'

So far, neither Jessie or Slater had managed to agree on a single name, the only thing they both agreed on was that they both wanted something unusual, but nothing that would embarrass the poor child when she got to school age.

And that in the end was how they spent their Christmas eve, arguing playfully over baby names.

'Wow, what an exciting pair we are, we are really living on the wild side of life', Jessie joked as she turned another page in the book and they proceeded to argue over the next ten names one or the other of them liked.

As usual, they hadn't been able to come to an agreement on any name at all and gave up for the night in the end.


	23. Chapter 23

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Twenty-Three

Lisa and Darren's Wedding

Christmas and new year had seemed to go by extremely quickly for Lisa, but then she had been busy putting the finishing touches to her wedding plans and checking up on how the building work at the college was coming along. And now it was the middle of January and her wedding day had finally arrived.

'I always knew Kelly would be the first, but I never thought I would be the last. I can't believe even Screech got married before me.'

'At least your getting married Lisa. I'm still looking for the man of my dreams', said Berry who hadn't been able to wait to get in to the suit Lisa had made for him.

Lisa and Darren were having the wedding ceremony in their back yard and then the reception at their favourite five star hotel downtown.

Lisa and her bridesmaids were all in one of the spare rooms that looked out on to their backyard which was all ready and the guests had started to arrive. Lisa had gone for the traditional thing and made Darren spend the night at the hotel. She saw he hadn't yet arrived and neither had Neil, his best man and best friend from high school.

'He's not here yet, what if he changes his mind?'

'Don't be silly Lisa, that's the craziest idea I ever heard.'

The beautician had just finishing putting the finishing touches to Lisa's make-up, having done all the bridesmaids first. The beautician had started with Berry, who had made more of a fuss over getting the right colours than any of the women.

'You look beautiful Lisa', Kelly told her.

'Lisa, Kelly's right, you do look beautiful, too beautiful to have me walk behind you resembling a beached whale. I'll still wear the dress, but if you want, I'll just go and sit with the rest of the congregation.'

'Don't be silly Jessie, that would ruin the day completely. You look beautiful, I spent hours and hours on that dress and it works. I know your seven months pregnant and that you feel like a beached whale, I know how that feels, but trust me, you don't look like one. Now the photographer will be here to take some pictures shortly, so all my bridesmaids had better get their best smiles ready.'

While they were waiting for the photographer to arrive, Kelly glanced out the window.

'I see the groom and the best man. So many more people are starting to arrive now, but it looks like Zack and Slater have got it all in hand showing everyone to their seats.'

'Berry, go and get Crystal off of Sheila, my youngest bridesmaid has to be in the pictures.'

When Berry brought Crystal back in to the room in the outfit Lisa had made for her, everyone cooed at how cute she looked.

'Sorry Berry, it looks like you've got competition in being the fairest bridesmaid of them all', Lisa joked 'But upstage the bride and I'll tell everyone you once wore a fake jacket under your own name.'

Jessie and Kelly were still looking out of the window watching everyone arrive and prepare for the ceremony. Ben was all ready and waiting with his violin. He had actually composed a piece of his own for Lisa and Darren. They had loved the piece the first time they heard it and had told him it was definitely the one for their wedding.

Sophie was talking with Josie and Paul as usual. Mr and Mrs Belding were there and Marting looked like he would rather be any place else, especially since Josie had broken up with him.

'I didn't know you invited the Beldings Lisa.'

'How could I not Kelly? He helped start my career. Darren and I met in his school. And we all plagued his office probably more than any other class he ever had. Besides you had them at both your weddings.'

'True', Jessie agreed 'I guess it really wouldn't be the same without him.'

The photographer took lots of photographs and then it was finally time to go down the stairs and in to the yard and to all walk up the aisle to watch Lisa to become a married woman.

Berry walked right behind Lisa carrying Crystal, Jessie and Kelly followed carrying their bouquets until they finally reached the front and Lisa joined Darren.

Lisa had been concentrating on controlling her nerves so much walking down the aisle, she had only being able to focus on reaching Darren at the end of the makeshift carpet that had been laid out. She had just looked straight ahead, she hadn't even noticed her parents with tears in their eyes and then she became one of those brides that cried the whole way through the ceremony, thanking god for the invention of waterproof make-up. She only finally calmed down when the ceremony was over and she walked back down the aisle holding Darren's hand.

Then everyone was being handed a glass of champagne before they made their way to the hotel. The cleaners had already arrived ready to restore the vast backyard to normal before Lisa and Darren arrived back home that night. They were going away for two weeks honeymoon in Cancun the next day and were taking Crystal with them.

Lisa could hardly believe they had finally got here. After they had arrived home Christmas eve Lisa and Darren had talked long in to the early hours of the morning and Lisa thought back to that conversation now as they sat in their wedding car on the way to the hotel.

Lisa had told him everything she had been feeling.

'Darren I know you love law. What you do is part of your identity, I know that. But is there no way you could practice closer to home?'

'Of course there is. Firms have tried to headhunt me, but they are not as big and therefore the money isn't anywhere now what I'm getting in Chicago.'

'But Darren, we are rich. We've probably got enough to live on for the rest of our lives and there will be even more coming our way once the college opens. In fact I've already received some upfront tuition fees from candidates I've interviewed and accepted so far. One day , if I ever get bored of fashion, I'll stop and retire from it all, though I'm not sure that day will ever come. I guess that is how you feel about practicing law. You thrive on it, like Jessie does.'

'Your wrong Lisa, I enjoy law, but I don't thrive on it like Jessie does. I think I just got greedy and always went where the money was. I didn't want you to think I was scrounging off you if took a position with less money.'

'Darren, what did you think? That I wanted all my wealth for myself?'

'Of course not Lisa.'

'I just want you home Darren, for good.'

'This is where I want to be, here with you, all the time.'

And then Darren had told her about an interesting offer he had had from a firm a while back. It was a law firm that offered help to people who couldn't always afford the services of a lawyer and a lot of their clients had to apply for legal assistance. He would only earn a quarter of what he did now, but it was something he thought he might like to do and so it was decided. After the Christmas holiday was over, he had called and accepted the offer and was due to start there after they arrived home from their honeymoon in Mexico.

'I don't thrive on big cases like Jessie does Lisa, I've had enough of all that. I want to use my law skills to help people now.'

'And knowing I'm going to have my husband home for good, that's the best Christmas present ever,despite the fact you won't officially be my husband for another couple of weeks.'

When they arrived , everyone was seated at their tables in reception and when they walked in to take their place, it was to loud applause. Now that was something Lisa was used to from the many fashion shows and awards ceremonies she had been part of over the years, but it felt a lot different when the people applauding were people that meant something to you.

Lisa's Father's speech brought her to tears again, Neils made he laugh as he had somehow remembered about their first date at the senior dance when Darren was just a freshman. He had finished by saying he guessed it was good for Darren that she liked younger guys and that had made Lisa laugh even more because she knew it was true. Then Darren's speech moved her to tears again, as he said how much he loved her and Crystal and how pleased he was they were no longer a commuter couple. Then she got up to say a few words herself.

'For those of you wondering about the wedding party outfits, no they won't be available in any of my wedding attire collections. Though there will be similar outfits in the new wedding collection that is due out soon. On a serious not, I just want to thank everyone for coming and making our day even more special.'

Ben took to the stage then and Lisa and Darren danced to the finale of Swan Lake and after the live band they had hired to play all kinds of music moved in to play until late.

The evening seemed to go by so quickly and then it was time for Lisa and Darren to leave. They had decided to do the traditional thing again and be the first people to leave and the band member had called everyone to form a circle on the dance floor so everyone could say goodbye.

They started by saying goodbye to their friends teenage children who looked bored and like they just wanted to get back to dancing. Then they came to Zack and Kelly and Lisa hugged them both.

'Finally one of us had a traditional wedding and without any kind of drama.'

'Very funny Lisa', Kelly hugged her friend.

'We love you Lisa', Zack hugged her and then shook hands with Darren 'Sorry Darren, you aren't just stuck with Lisa forever now you know, you are stuck with the lot of us.'

'And I wouldn't have it any other way..

Lisa smiled when she reached Screech and Nicola.

'Well Screech, I guess we are both spoken for now', she was remembering fondly the way he used to constantly pursue her back in high school.

'Congratulations Lisa.'

Then came a few relatives from both sides of their families, that neither Lisa or Darren actually included that well, cousins, Aunts and Uncles they hadn't seen for years and years. A lot of them were Darren's family that she had never met before, though of course the ones up on fashion knew exactly who she was.

As they came to the end, they reached Jessie and Slater and Berry who was holding Crystal , ready for them to take her home with them.

She hugged Jessie first.

'Thanks for everything Jessie. You did great and you look great. I think Berry's a bit upset because both you and Crystal upstaged him.'

'Thanks Lisa, congratulations again. Have a great time in Mexico.'

'Oh, we intend to', Lisa moved on to hug Slater.

'Congratulations Lisa. But I think you've got one unhappy bridesmaid stood next to me and I'm not talking about the bridesmaid I'm married too.'

Lisa moved on and gave Berry a great big hug.

'Your not really unhappy are you Berry?'

'No, I was outdone by a child that can't even walk yet and a heavily pregnant woman, but hey I'll get over it. I just knew you should have let me wear a dress.'

'Get real Berry, that was so never going to happen.'

'Relax Lisa, you know I'm joking. It has been a great day and congratulations. I am really happy for you both. Now I think I may just have to go and find some happening Hollywood party, find myself a man, who knows maybe I'll meet my future husband.'

'Berry Dawson, the fashion world would not be the same without you.'

That was when Berry gave Lisa a strange look, like he was about to say something, but changed his mind. Then he followed everyone else out to wave Lisa, Darren and Crystal goodbye as they got in to their waiting car.


	24. Chapter 24

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Twenty-Four

The Return Of Kevin The Robot

Screech and Nicola had decided to go to San Diego for Valentines weekend. Screech was going to have his day with the reptiles at the Zoo and then they were going to go out for dinner in the evening on the Saturday.

It was a week before Josie's seventeenth birthday and they had decided Josie and Paul were more than mature enough to be left home alone for a weekend. Besides their only plans for the weekend were to play squash, the schools state championship semi-finals were only a couple of weeks away.

'Nicola are you going to look round the zoo while I undertake my reptile experience?'

'I don't think so Sam, you see I'm not really an animal person, I never really have been. I don't know if it has anything to do with the fact my parents never let me have any pets as a child.

'So what are you going to do?'

'I've got some prep work to do for when I start USC in the fall, stuff to help me get back in to the habit of study. I think I'm just going to take my books to the beach.'

'Okay, but why did you buy me this if you don't like animals?'

'Because I know you do and its not like I have to go on the experience with you. Zack and Kelly told me all about the time you looked after a chimp at Cal U and helped teach her to sign. I always knew you liked animals, but I didn't realise how much.'

'Lucy? She really was one special chimp. I got in real trouble when our resident advisor found out I was hiding her though, he was allergic.'

'Oh dear. But also your Mum told me you always had pets, not just your bug collection but a dog as well.'

'Hounddog, he was more Mum's dog than mine. I loved him though, no prizes for guessing where he got his name, my parents being big Elvis fans.'

'So how come you didn't have any pets when I met you?'

'I've not had any pets since I left home. I lived alone, well until Paul showed up and I didn't think it was fair to keep a dog when I wasn't home to take care of it half the time. I do so much extra curricular work and tutoring on top. I did have some bugs in the garage for a while, but I even couldn't find the time to take care of them. You know being a high school principal is tough work. We always laughed at Mr Belding so much when we were kids, now I just admire him.'

'And personally I don't think our own kids could have a better principal than the one they've got, but of course I am bias.'

They left the hotel together, then Nicola headed for the beach and Screech waited for the free shuttle bus to the zoo. When he got there he was given the same gear to wear as the zookeepers and then shown to an area to wait for a talk from the Head Zookeeper. Then he was introduced to the Zookeeper in charge of the reptile house.

'Hello, my name is Pete. I'll be showing you round today.'

'And I'm Sam, but you can call me Screech if you prefer. It's a long story, don't ask.'

'Screech powers? A fellow geek from Bayside past. We used to sit in biology together . You remember me? They used to call me big Pete?'

'Well of course I do. We were the only ones in that class ever sorry to hear the bell ring. I always wanted to carry on with my dissecting.'

'Me too, but today I prefer looking after living animals to dissecting dead ones. Come on its time to head over to the reptile house, we will start with the salamanders.'

As Pete showed Screech around all the reptile houses and explained how they were taken care of and fed, Pete told him all about working at the zoo and how he had always wanted to be a zoologist and had got his first job here after graduating and had been here ever since.

'I know it's a bit late, but I took a break from study to work on some special projects here at the zoo, so I've only just started work on my PHD.'

'That's great Pete. Those biology lessons , they were really something else.'

'I bet we were the best lab assistants Mr Daniels ever had.'

The day went so quickly, five o'clock seemed to arrive in no time.

'So any plans for valentines night?', Pete asked.

'Taking my wife out for dinner, we are only in town for the weekend. This experience day was her Christmas present to me.'

'You've got a wife?'

'And a teenage son and a teenage stepdaughter. How about you?'

'I guess I've been too involved with the zoo and the animals to ever get close to anyone. I was with one girl called Louise, she looks after the elephants here, but she told me I cared more about the animals than I did her.'

'Oh dear.'

'Its okay, its probably true. After all I am spending valentines night here, giving a talk on reptiles mating habits. I just hope some people show up to listen. There's nothing worse than talking to an empty room.'

'Pete , as much as I would love to come, my wife would kill me.'

'That's okay. Louise was always threatening to kill me if I didn't stop talking about the reptiles when we were on dates.'

'Bye Pete, it was good to see you again.'

When Screech arrived back at the hotel, Nicola hadn't yet returned from the beach, so he took the opportunity to take a long shower, because he knew Nicola wouldn't appreciate the smeall of animals at all.

When Nicola did return from the beach, he was watching a programme on one of the science channels.

'How was the beach?'

'Great. I worked on my tan and got lots of reading done. How was the zoo?'

'Great, I got to get up close and personal with some of the reptiles and met up with my old school friend Pete, he is in charge of the reptile house.'

'So where are you taking me for dinner tonight?'

'The Ocean Beach Café of course.'

'Don't be silly , you can't afford that.'

'I can, just this once. Just don't expect me to take you there every valentines day.'

'I wouldn't dream of it, the Ocean Beach Café, that's a one and only lifetime dream. I did wonder why you asked me to bring my best cocktail dress.'

'I hear they do great cocktails.'

The Ocean Beach Café certainly lived up to its name. The food was delicious, the service was excellent and the champagne was extremely expensive.

While there they witnessed three men propose to their girlfriends, two of which accpeted and ordered more champagne, the third couple ended up having a huge argument and being escorted out of the restaurant.

'That is why I am so glad I proposed to you when there were lots of people about. If you had rejected me, there was plenty of people round to console me.'

'As if I would ever have rejected you. If you hadn't asked me, I would probably have asked you. I am so glad Josie and I decided to move to LA.

The next morning when they checked out of the hotel, they stopped off to buy presents for Josie and Paul and made for home.

'I said I would call by my parents on the way home, that's okay isn't it?'

'Sure. I like your parents, even if they do never play any other music but Elvis songs.'

'Sam', his Mum greeted him when they pulled in to Screech's parents drive a few hours later 'We've been cleaning out the garage, you won't believe what we found.'

Screech and Nicola followed his Mum in to his parents garage where his Dad was twiddling about with what they had found.

'Dad, you found Kevin, I had forgotten all about him.'

'He's a bit dusty.'

'He would be, he must have been in here twenty odd years. Why did you abandon your robot Sam? You spent long enough working on him.'

'I don't know Dad, I guess I got more interested in girls and kind of lost interest in him. I know the girls weren't much interested in me, but it didn't stop me trying.'

'Wait, Sam, you built this robot yourself?'

'Yes I did Nicola, when I was thirteen. Kevin even helped me win a beauty contest at school once. And before you ask, yes it was another of Zack's crazy ideas.'

'Does he still work?', Nicola wondered.

'I doubt it and besides Kevin here is way outdated now. He would need a hell of a lot of modifying, in fact he would probably have to be rebuilt.'

'I could help you do that. After all I've got a few months until school starts, so its not like I haven't got the time on my hands.'

'I guess it would be kind of cool to have a robot round the place again. I used to have so much fun with Kevin.'

'Besides Sam, if you don't take him with you, he goes to the dump. Your Mum and I want to get this garage cleared of junk to make way for our Elvis memorabilia, we got loads more on our last trip to Graceland.'

'No way is Kevin going to the dump. Nicola and I are going to take him home and have him up and running in no time.'

They loaded Kevin in to the back seat of Screech's car.

'I bet no one ever invented a sign saying drive carefully, robot on board', said Screech as he turned the corner and Nicola laughed. Her husband never ceased to amaze her.

When they arrived home, Josie and Paul couldn't believe what their parents dragged out of the back seat of the car.

'So whats with the dead robot dad?'

'Hey, Kevin isn't dead, he has just been resting for a couple of decades. But now he is going to be revived, by us.'

'Count me out, I have to play squash when I'm not studying.'

'Not you Josie, I know you are busy with other things. I meant your Mum and I are going to modify Kevin and turn him in to a twenty first century robot.'

'That will take some doing Dad, he's older than we are', Paul and Josie laughed together.

'Be careful Paul. Kevin never did take kindly to insults. Now come on , lets get Kevin up to the spare room. Kevin, you have your own room at last, not just a garage.'

'Dad, your nuts.'

'So Kevin always used to tell me.'

They put Kevin down on the floor of the spare room and Screech made a list of all the parts that he was going to need to make Kevin a working robot again.

'So have all your friends settled back to normal now the dreaded SAT's results are over and done with?', Nicola asked Josie and Paul at dinner.

'It's much better for all of us. My squash game is much better now that's not hanging over my head. I want to be the girls state school champion.'

'And I'm sure you willl Josie. So have you and Paul given any more thought to which colleges you might want to apply too?'

'The one that offers the best sporst scholarship', was Paul's answer.

'It's not always that simple Paul, you've got to take other things in to consideration.'

'My Dad, ever the high school principal.'

'But Paul, you've really got to start thinking about it soon. How about you Josie?'

'I'm seriously thinking about Cal U where you went.'

'Really?'

'Yes, I know it has excellent tuition and excellent sports facilities.'

'Not to mention, excellent alumni', Screech joked 'Another year and I'll be the only one in this house not in college. I guess it's a good job I'm used to being surrounded by students all day.'

Later on as much as they had said they didn't want any part of it, Josie and Paul helped Screech and Nicola take apart Kevin.

'Most of these parts are so outdated, you can't get them anymore. We are going to have to rebuild him from Scratch.'

'Operation revive Kevin is officially underway', declared Nicola.

It was after midnight before they finally packed up for the evening and Kevin was in pieces on the floor.

'I figured out the sooner we took him apart, the sooner we would get him back together', said Nicola as she finally put her screwdriver down for the evening.


	25. Chapter 25

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Twenty-Five

Surprise Baby Shower

Jessie had just given Carly Sampson the final details of her contested divorce trial.

'So its on the twelvth of March at nine in the morning. I've got a list of your confirmed witnesses. Am I right in thinking that this Tom Collins was your gardener while you were married?'

'That's right , I need all the help I can get. I'm telling you Jessie, I want everything. And at the trial you had better make sure you get it for me.'

'Don't worry Carly I will. We've been over your case enough and I'll continue going over and over it. The evening after your trial you can fly off to Australia on your next tour knowing your husband hasn't got a single scent or possession left to his name.'

'That's' what had better happen, I'm counting on you.'

'And your paying me enough to make sure that's the result we get.'

'Good , then we understand each other, got to go. I've got to do a publicity shoot for my world tour.'

After Carly Sampson left her office Jessie breathed a sigh of relief and asked Lissy to bring her a peppermint tea.

'That woman is driving me nuts. I will be so glad when her divorce trial is over, she is out of my life and I can relax until the baby's born.'

'Isn't that just a few days after the trial?'

'Yes, it was the only date we could get, besides everyone keeps telling me first babies rarely show up on time. I'll probably have a good week at home to relax at least.'

'I wouldn't know anything about that, it all seems so far off in the future to me. Besides, I've got to find the right man first anyway.'

After Lissy left her office to get back to her own work, Jessie started to go over Carly's case notes yet again. It was going to be a tough one, but she also knew she could do it.

It was Friday afternoon, all the other partners were off playing golf and everyone else seemed to have gone off early. She had the rest of the afternoon to work in peace. Except she had only been working for another couple of hours when her office phone rang.

'Hi Jessie, its Cynthia Larson.'

'Cynthia. Long time no hear, how is the movie going?'

'Not good, I'm not good. I'm outside your building. Can I come up and see you?'

'Sure, I'll call down to reception and tell them I'm expecting you.'

When Cynthia came up, Jessie noticed she was thinner than she had ever seen her and that she in fact looked gaunt.

'Hi Cynthia, you okay? Want some herbal tea?'

'Got anything stronger?'

'Sorry'.

'Then I'll just have water', Cynthia helped herself from the water cooler. 'Jessie, I'm sorry about the way I acted the last time we met. I fogot I don't have to pretend with you. I've been playing the bimbo so long I almost started to believe that was really me. Then Dan gave me my first serious role since university and he fired me. He said I was known as too much of an airhead for the role and it had been a big mistake asking me to play the part. That is when I started seeing Kevin from the gym, I really like him. The trouble is, he likes the bimbo me, the one that the public sees and that's not really me.'

'I wouldn't worry too much about Kevin. He is a real player. Don't take this the wrong way Cynthia, but your probably just flavour of the month for him.'

'But I really like him.'

'Sorry, I just thought, with someone like Kevin, your better off knowing the truth.'

'Thanks. Anyway I wanted to do something for you to make up for how awful I was when we last met. But first I need to call reception. 'It's okay, you can send them up now.'

'Cynthia, what the hell is going on?'

'Wait and see.'

'Surprise', Lisa, Kelly, Nicola, Josie, Sophie, Lissy and some of Jessie's other female colleagues she worked closely with burst through her office door with armfuls of presents.

'What the hell is going on?', Jessie asked again.

'This is your surprise baby shower', said Kelly, piling yet more presents on the top of her desk.

'Jessie, we never know when you are going to be home and its far easier to track you down at the office. That's why we sent Cynthia up first to check you were still here.'

'But Cynthia, all that stuff you said?'

'Its true every word of it. But I also wanted to give you this surprise, so I got together with your best friends to do this for you.'

'But do you guys realise its gone seven and I'll be getting lectured about working late and overdoing it when I get home?'

'No you won't Jessie, we've thought of all that. Our husbands were in on it too Zack, Slater, Darren, Screech and Paul have all gone to play squash at the leisure centre, Screech no doubt just as a spectator', Kelly explained.

'It sounds like you had it all planned out.'

'We sure did', Lisa said putting a huge boxful of girls baby clothes down on the floor. 'I made them all myself and they are all exclusive one off's. None of them are in my new baby wear range that's hitting the stores soon. There's outfits in there that will fit her from new born up to when she's about two years old.'

'Wow Lisa, thanks. Don't you ever stop?'

'No, do you?'

'No.'

'There you go then, come on, open the rest of your presents.'

'I asked Slater and his Mum if there was anything you hadn't got yet, so these are all from the Morris family, practical stuff you can't live without.'

A few minutes later Jessie's desk was strewn with presents from the Morris family. There were feeding bottles, a bottle sterilisng unit, tins of formula, a changing bag and mat, packets of diapers and a carrycot.

'Thanks Kelly, you must have spent a fortune.'

'Its not everyday one of your best friends has a baby.'

'And you've saved me a shopping trip too. We were going to go and get all this stuff at the weekend and to be honest I don't feel much like spending the weekend traipsing round the mall.'

'You can have a nice relaxing weekend instead.'

'You must be kidding. The big divorce trial is three weeks away. I'm going to be going over that every night between now and the start of the trial.'

'Well tonight you are putting your feet up and enjoying yourself, even if it is here in your office. Here open this from our family', Nicola handed her a small box.

'A subscription to one of the new parent magazines, thanks Nicola that I am sure is going to come in very handy. To be honest with you, I've never really been surrounded by children and I'm kind of scared I won't know what to do. Does that sound daft?'

'Not at all Jessie. No one knows what to do at first. Darren and I didn't . You just learn as you go along.'

'Thanks Lisa, but you know what I'm like about failure.'

'Jessie, just relax about it. You are going to be a great Mum and I bet Crystal will just love her new playmate.'

By the end of the eveing one corner of Jessie's office looked more like a baby care store.

'I should start getting all this stuff down to the car. I can't have my office looking like this, its unprofessional. I got a big meeting in here on Monday morning.'

'Jessie don't you dare lift a thing. We did say we had this whole evening planned out. Slater will be here to take you and all the presents home at eleven.'

'I have the best friends. No matter what I've done, good or bad, you are always there for me.'

By half past ten there was only Jessie, Lisa, Kelly, Nicola, Sophie and Josie left in the office waiting to be picked up. At eleven, even the cleaners had gone home and apart from the security guards they were the only ones left in the building, until their husbands showed up to take them home as promised.

'Hi, who won the squash?', Nicola was curious.

'Yes, don't keep us in suspense , who won?' Jessie also wanted to know.

'Me', said Paul proudly 'First I slaughtered Zack and then I slaughtered Slater. I didn't play Dad, that would have just been too easy.

'So what is everyone up to this weekend?', Kelly asked.

'We are putting Kevin the robot back together. We finally got all the parts, you will all have to come and see him when he is finished.'

'We sure will Screech. We had some laughs with Kevin. Come on Kel, we better make a move we are going to go down and visit Ben at school tomorrow.'

'Bye Jessie, Slater.'

'Bye and thanks again for all the presents.'

'We got to get going to if we are going to work on Kevin.'

'We had better come too, you can help me get all this lot in the lift', Slater picked up the first box.

The time they had the lift loaded Jessie was pleased to see her office had been restored to its former glory.

'You ready Jess?'

'I just need to make sure I got all these notes. I'm coming in late Monday morning but I want to get some work done at home before I come in.'

'There's a surprise waiting at home for you too.'

When they got home, Slater opened the door to the now finished nursery.

'Mum and Dad finished it today while we were at work. They've done a fantastic job don't you think?'

'They sure have. I love the alphabet stencils on the wall with the teddy bears around them. I didn't realise just how many hours they put in on this.'

'They said they really enjoyed it. It gave them something else to think about and now they will probably be looking for things to do during the day.'

'Now it just needs for this little one to arrive in the world to enjoy it and then she can kick out at her cot bars all she likes instead of kicking me in the ribs', but as painful and uncomfortable as it was at times now, Jessie still managed to smile as she looked round the nursery once more.


	26. Chapter 26

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Twenty-Six

Zack and Kelly Talk The Past and The Future

'Mum,Dad, look at all the other pieces I can play just as well as _Waltz Of The Flowers_ now. I love composing my own stuff too. How come Sophie didn't come visit today?'

'Josie and Paul are playing in a big squash match this weekend, she wanted to stay and support them with the rest of her school friends. But she will be here next time and said can you make her some relaxing music to study too?'

'Sure I can.'

'So is everything else still going okay? I mean we haven't heard from your principal, so we presume everything is okay. My parents used to hear from Mr Belding on an almost weekly basis. Yet next week as Martin Belding's homeroom and business studies teacher I get to tell Mr Belding how his son is doing in school. You have no idea how much of a reversal of roles that is. Anyway Ben, its been lovely to see you, but your Mum and I have to get going.'

'That's okay, I'm going to practice with my roommates this evening anyway.'

'That's my boy, its not long until spring break anyway and that means two whole weeks off for you kids lucky enough to go to school here. I still have to go to school one of those weeks, even if you don't have too.'

'That's what you get for being old Dad', Ben joked as he waved his parents off and went back to his music practice.

When Zack started up his car he headed towards the beach.

'Are we taking the coastal route home?'

'If you like, but I thought maybe we could hang out at the beach for a while.'

'At eight in the evening?'

'Why not? We used to hang out at the beach in the evening all the time when we were in school.'

'Of course, how could I forget those nights parked up at Beechwood Point'

'I'm sure there is somewhere nice around here we could go and park up now. After all, Sophie isn't expecting us home until the early hours.'

'Park up? Why don't we just get ourselves a hotel room for the night?'

'Okay , but lets take a walk along the beach first. I want to talk to you.'

What Zack had to say he had been going over and over for hours.

'Kelly, I love you. I'm sorry the way I was a few months back. Maybe Screech and Slater were right. Maybe I was having an early mid-life crisis. But I promise you, its over now. I've realised whats important and trust me the old Zack is back.'

'Good', Kelly kissed her husbands cheek and took hold of his hand as the carried on walking 'Because for a while there I really, really missed him. And the past few months haven't been the best for me either. I stupidly invite the Carousi's in to our home, our daughter runs away and then Dr Cornwell tells me she is leaving the practice at short notice. I've advertised for a new local doctor to join the practice, but until I do. I'm still dealing with all her paitents and my own. I'm sorry I haven't been around much Zack, its been hell.'

'Its okay Kelly. I guess for a while there we did the one thing we promised each other we would never do. We were so wrapped up in what we were doing, we forgot about each other. We can't let it happen again, we've got to talk to each other about stuff like we used to.'

'I know Zack. Have you ever regretted us getting married so young?'

'Not even for a second, how about you?'

'Never. I knew we were doing the right thing, even then. Besides ,how else was I going to stop you flirting with alll the other girls in the college?'

'Very funny. I think its time we called Sophie and tell her we won't be home and to check in to a hotel don't you?'

'What a good idea.'

When Zack and Kelly did return home the next day, she was pleased to see both her parents looking happier than they had in months.

'I'm glad your home, because I wanted to tell you I've made my decision on what colleges to apply to.'

'Well, do tell us.'

'Okay Mum, I've narrowed it down to Stanford, Harvard, Princeton and Colombia. But my first choice is Stanford and if they take me, at least I won't be too far from home.'

'Not take you, are you kidding? Sophie, you got to have more confidence in yourself. And promise us when you are a senior next year and are waiting to hear from these colleges, no more trying to run away. Just talk to us, we have been there remember.'

'Yeah, like a zillion years ago Dad.'

'What do you mean, you've got the youngest parents in your class, it wasn't as long ago as you think.'

'Long enough for it to be a distant memory for you though.'

Sophie left her parents in the lounge then to go and finish off her homework.

'At least Sophie won't have to learn to discipline herself to to study in college like I did. You know I think college was the first time I ever studied properly in my entire life and that was only because I had too.'

'It's hard to believe that Sophie is your daughter, except for the fact you were there when she was conceived. Talking of which, I haven't heard anything from Jessie for days. I hope everything is okay.'

'She's fine. I spoke to Slater yesterday. Jessie's stressing big time over this big divorce trial and Slater's stressing over Jessie stressing. I think we should just leave them alone until the trial is over.'

'Maybe your right. I saw what Slater's parents did to the nursery. It made me reminisce a bit. I know Sophie didn't have a proper room of her own from the start, but I enjoyed decorating Ben's before he arrived and what we did for Sophie's room when we finally moved in to our first real house. Do you ever miss those days?'

'What, dirty diapers, sleepless nights and two am feeds, no way. I'm glad that's all behind us.'

'I always wanted more children one day.'

'But Kelly they told you you couldn't have anymore.'

'No Zack, after Ben was born what they actually said was that I shouldn't have anymore for a few years. I had two pregnancies close together and they said I should give my body a chance to recover.'

'Kelly, are you sure your not just getting Broody because Lisa's got a baby now and that Jessie's about to have one?'

'No, like I said I always wanted to have more children, not a huge family like I come from , but I always wanted at least one more.'

'Are you sure this isn't just this empty nest syndrome we keep talking about?'

'I don't know, I do really miss the kids. Sophie's still here, but not for long and we don't even get to spend that much time with her anymore. And when she is here, like most teenagers she lives in her room. And I guess we should get used to it, she will be gone soon enough.'

'Do you really want another baby Kelly?'

'I think so, how about you?'

'I'm not sure, do you really want to go through all that again?'

'It'll be different this time round, we've got money now. And our friends will have kids around the same age.'

'But our friends aren't going to come round here and feed a newborn baby at four in the morning.'

'Okay, I can see your not exactly taken with the idea. Maybe we should just forget about it.'

'I didn't say I was against the idea. I just think its something we need to talk about some more before we make a decision.'

'Okay, I've got to go and make some house calls anyway. I know its Sunday afternoon, but it's the only way I can fit in visiting all of Dr Cornwell's patients as well as my own. I'll see you later okay', Kelly kissed Zack goodbye and then made her way out of the door.

As soon as Kelly was out the door Zack dialled Screech's number.

'Screech, your not going to believe this. Just when we were looking forward to some time on our own, Kelly just said she wants us to have another baby. Screech I have to convince her it's a daft idea. It is a daft idea isn't it?'

'Absolutely not, Nicola and I have just been discussing the same thing.'

'Screech are you nuts? Josie and Paul are going to be off your hands in a year or so.'

'And we will miss them Zack. I didn't even know about Paul until he was a teenager. The time he goes away to college he will have been with me for just three years. I want a chance to do it all from the beginning.'

'Okay Screech, I understand. Perhaps another baby isn't such a bad idea after all. But first I'm going to take Kelly away on a nice holiday on our own, somewhere she has dreamed of going for a long time.'

'Where?'

'Lanzarote.'

'Lanzarote, where is that?'

'It's one of the Canary Islands off the North West Coast of Africa. Kelly's sister Nikki and her Spanish husband run a bar out there. Kelly hasn't seen Nikki for ten years and has always wanted to go and visit. If I take her during spring break, would you mind having Sophie and Ben to stay?'

'Of course not, Sophie is never any trouble and who doesn't love Ben's music?'

'Thanks Screech, now I'll book that hotel in Lanzarote. Nikki's bar is on the Costa Teguise wherever that is. It doesn't look like there are any direct flights from LA. It looks like the easiest thing to do is go via London and change there. I'm looking forward to spring break already.'


	27. Chapter 27

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Twenty-Seven

A New Arrival

It was 5am when Jessie looked at the clock again. She hadn't slept much all night and knew there wasn't much hope of more sleep now anyway. Her back was aching more than usual and during the night she had had a couple of mild contractions. Kelly had warned her they happened occasionally when the baby was close, but didn't necessarily mean the start of labour. Besides Kelly had also told her, even if it was, the early stages of labour could last for a couple of days, so she had decided to put it completely to the back of her mind. And there was no way she was going to tell Slater or he would get all worried and have her cancel the Carly Sampson trial that day and there was no way she was going to do that. She had been going over and over Carly's case in her head all night. It was going to be a tough one because Carly wanted everything, no compromise. At first Jessie had warned her constantly she may not get everything she wanted, but Carly had just told Jessie she had better get her everything because that is what she was paying her for.

'If I only wanted half of it all, I would have gone to any old lawyer. I wanted the best divorce lawyer in town. I hired you for a reason Jessie and you had better get it for me.'

Slater was still asleep, so she picked up her pile of case notes and went and sat down on the sofa in the lounge with them. Never had she been so fed up with a client as she was with Carly Sampson. And never would she be so pleased to see the back of a client. Carly was flying out to Australia early evening for the start of her world tour.

The only consolation Jessie had was that when it was over, she was going to start her three months maternity leave a few days early. Slater had organised to take a lot of time off with Kevin too. After the baby was born, for a while, he would only go in to work to coach the wrestlers. Kevin had told him apart from that to take as much time off as he wanted. After all, Kevin had said, Slater was always there to hold the fort while he was off gallivanting all over the place with his bimbo's.

Now it was getting so close, Jessie couldn't wait to meet her baby girl at long last, but right now all she could think about was Carly Sampson's divorce case. And besides the more she thought of that , the less she thought about the constant ache in her back.

Jessie switched on the classical radio station at a low level, it always helped her concentrate when she was working. She had been working away for an hour and a half when Slater came through to make some breakfast.

'How long you been up?'

'Since about five. I didn't want to disturb you so I came in here to go over this case yet again.'

'Baby keeping you awake?'

'Her and Carly Sampson.'

Slater then put a tray of peppermint tea, juice and toast and croissants on the coffee table for Jessie.

'Eat that, you need to keep your strength up with the case today. What time does it start again?'

'Nine and who knows how long its going to go on for. I just hope I can stand long enough, each time its my turn to speak. And I really hope it doesn't go on too long, but then I have known largely contested divorce trials like this to go on for hours and hours.'

'Surely the judge will let you sit down and speak won't he?'

'He probably would if I asked, but I couldn't do that. It's not the done thing and besides it would make me look inferior to Carly's ex-husbands lawyer.'

'Jessie, your nine months pregnant, does it really matter?'

'It would and Carly would never let me forget it if I didn't get her everything she wanted.'

'I'm beginning to go right off this Carly Sampson and I've never even met her.'

'You don't want to trust me. I went off her a long time ago. My back is really aching this morning', Jessie reached for another cushion.

'Jessie if I could come to that court house and make you sit down , I would.'

'So how do you think your wrestlers are coming along anyway?'

'Well I think they are ready for the college championships now. The same time you start putting Carly's case forward I'll be starting their last training session before the first round. Jessie, are you sure your okay?'

'Yes, its just my back that's all.'

'Want me to massage it for you?'

'Yes please.'

With Slater massaging her back, she felt so much better and able to concentrate.

'Do you want me to drop you off at the court house today?'

'If you don't mind taking a round about route to the gym. I certainly don't feel up much to driving myself.'

'That's what I presumed. You need to relax as much as possible before the trial gets under way.'

When she did arrive at the court Jessie bumped in to Brian Turner, the most senior partner in her law firm. He was also known as the top defense lawyer in LA.

'Hi Brian. So what you got today?'

'Murder trial. Just another day at the office. It must be Carly Sampson's divorce for you.'

'You got it,talking of which I better make my way to court number three.'

'I'm upstairs in ten, good luck Jessie.'

'Thanks I'll need it, she wants to take him for every single thing he has.'

Before entering the court Jessie had a brief meeting with Carly.

'Get me everything I want Jessie and I mean everything', that was all Carly ever seemed to say.

'Don't worry I will. I've been going over and over this since five this morning.'

Jessie had only been putting Carly's case forward for fifteen minutes when the first contraction hit and she hit the counter in front of her with her fist. Carly smiled, thinking Jessie was just getting passionate about her case. Fifteen minutes later she felt another one and squeezed her fists as tight together as she could until it subsided. She had to concentrate on the trial and she just had to keep reassuring herself with what Kelly had told her, first babies usually took hours and hours to arrive. Kelly had told her there was no reason to panic until the contractions were only a few minutes apart and even then it could still take a while. She had to carry on with this trial whatever happened, besides, she would probably reach the end of the trial and be no closer to giving birth than she had been at the beginning. Besides Carly was giving her some real dirty looks as if she wasn't trying hard enough and that made her even more determind to win Carly everything she wanted from her divorce.

Jessie was relieved when she could sit down for a bit when it was Carly's ex-husbands lawyer's turn to speak. She had been sat back down for a while when he started to raise his voice and it was the one and only time ever she was glad the other lawyer was raising their voice, because that was when her waters broke. She was so thankful everyone was too busy concentrating on the other lawyers voice to notice the pool of amnitotic fluid that hit the floor beneath her chair.

When it was her turn to speak again, she stood up and realised the contractions were coming far more frequent now and she held hard on to the counter in front of her until each one subsided, all the while trying to make it look like nothing was amiss. She knew she had to carry on , no matter what.

It had been almost five hours the trial had taken now and Jessie kept willing it to be over sooner rather than later and then with any luck, finally, she could get herself to the maternity hospital two blocks away, where she could finally get some pain relief. Because it was bad enough now and she knew it was only going to get worse. She was trying to remember the breathing exercises Kelly had taught her as she hadn't had time for ante-natal classes. Jessie just hoped she managed to get the case wound up in Carly's favour while she could still talk. Though every time she raised her voice, everyone just assumed it was for Carly's case and not because she was in pain. She knew she should be in the hospital now and there was a part of her that was starting to get frightened.

Jessie just about made it to the end of the trial with the result in Carly's favour when she knew she was really in trouble, her contractions were only a few minutes apart now and lasting longer. Leaving the courtroom she had had to grip on to everything she could to make it back out in to the corridor and then she sunk to the floor by the banisters of the stairs. She couldn't walk anymore. She was releived to see Carly come along on her way out to talk to the press.

'Carly, can you……………', but Carly completely ignored her, eager to get out and talk to the press.

Luckily for her Brian Turner came down the stairs shortly afterwards and found her.

'Jessie, you okay?'

'No I can't. I can't move and I need to get to the hospital. Oh my god', Jessie groaned as she gripped her fists together with another intense contraction.

'I've got to get you to the hospital right now', Brian picked her up and carried her to the entrance and down the steps of the court house where someone immediately put a microphone in front of Jessie's face, asking if she had anything to say.

'Yes,', she spoke to the press for the first time ever 'Tell my husband to get to the hospital now.'

Brian walked as quickly as he could carrying Jessie, grateful the hospital was nearby. He had been at all there of his childrens births and he was almost sure Jessie wasn't far off delivering herself. How she had got through that trial today, he would never know.

'Jessie, do whatever you have to, hit me, punch me, just do it if it helps.'

As they finally reached the sidewalk outside the hospital, it got so bad Jessie actually started to bite Brian's shoulder, hard. Brian knew he would have to get it seen to once Jessie was in safe hands. He was sure she had drawn blood, even through his shirt.

Slater had seen Jessie on the TV screens in the gym and something told him he had to get there quick. It was a mile and a half to the hospital and he had left the gym immediately and started running straight away. There was so much bad traffic at this time of day, he knew the quickest way to get there was to run as fast as he could.

He got there just in time to take Jessie from Brian on the steps.

Everything seemed to happen in a whirlwind to Jessie after that. She remembered vague things like being told she was fully dilated and had only just made it on time and they were taking her straight to the delivery suite. She also remembered them telling her it was far too late for any kind of pain relief, especially the epidural she had originally planned to have. After that all she really remembered was the doctors telling her to push . The only other things she could remember were telling Slater she hated him and at one time she had twisted his wrist so hard, he had groaned himself. Then she had told him he was a complete wimp and that if the thought that hurt he should try having a baby.

And then finally , it was all over and she had her baby girl in her arms. She could hardly believe she had done it and her daughter was here at last. She had been born at 3.01pm weighing six pounds and eight ounces. She had Slater's dark hair and tan skin, but her facial features were all Jessie's, especially her eyes and nose.

After the doctor came to check Jessie over one more time and Jessie had taken a shower and put the fresh hospital pyjama's on they had left her, the doctor went to leave them.

'I'll leave you three alone for a while.'

Now Jessie and Slater were sat on the bed, holding their daughter with tears in their eyes.

'She's perfect', Jessie said through her tears.

'Yeah, isn't she?', agreed Slater, gently touching one of his daughters tiny hands 'Perfect, beautiful, totally amazing, just like her Mum.'

'I still can't believe she's here.'

'Me Neither.'

They enjoyed their first hour alone with their daughter and then Brian knocked on the door and came in with a bottle of champagne and some glasses, plus a teddy bear for the baby.

'I thought she was a little young for a glass of bubbly', Brian joked 'Congratulations. Surely even you Slater are going to have a glass of champagne on this occasion.'

'I sure am.'

'Oh no, Brian, I just remembered I bit your shoulder while you were carrying me here, really hard as well. I'm sorry.'

'It's okay , I got it seen to, its fine. They fixed it up in reception for me.'

'How's your wrist Slater? I'm sorry, I know I must have twisted it real hard.'

'Forget about it , she was worth it.'

'She sure was', Jessie handed her daughter for Brian to hold.

A few minutes later Brian put her back down in her bedside cot while they all drank their glass of champagne, though Slater still only drank half of his.

'Slater, I think you need to go and get that wrist seen too.'

'I will Jessie, later. Now are you going to tell me why you left it so long to come here? Why did you put yourself through that Jessie?'

'You need to stay calm while I tell you. Pick up your daughter, at least if your holding her you won't go mad.'

Jessie waited until Slater was sat back down next to her on the bed and was calm holding the baby before she told him about the trial, Carly's dirty looks in the court room and Carly ignoring her when she collapsed on the floor outside and Brian finding her in agony and bringing her to the hospital.

'Slater, just look at her , it doesn't matter anymore.'

But Jessie knew Slater all too well and knew he was raging inside and that Brian was too now he knew the whole story. Slater handed the baby back to Jessie.

'I'm sorry Jessie, what time is Carly Simpson flying out?'

'In a couple of hours and good riddance. Slater, don't do anything silly, please.'

'I won't Jessie, I promise, but I am going to go and give her a piece of my mind.'

'And I'll come with you', Brian volunteered 'I wouldn't mind giving that selfish cow a piece of my mind myself.'

'And Slater, get that wrist seen to, please', Jessie could tell he was in agony with it and hoped she hadn't caused any permanent damage.

'Okay, I will later, you just make sure you get some rest now.'

'That is a very good idea', the doctor had come by and kicked Slater and Brian out while she gave Jessie and the baby another once over.

'Well Mrs Spano-Slater you might not believe it, but except for the fact you left it a little late to come here, that was one of the smoothest, easiest textbook births I have ever seen.'

'Then I would hate to experience what a difficult one feels like.'

' Anyway, I am going to keep you in here tonight just to be on the safe side and so you can have a good nights sleep. You colleague tells me you had quite an exhausting day even before you came here. We will put your daughter in the nursery tonight, then in the morning when you are refreshed you and your daughter can go home. If there is anyone you want to visit later , feel free, but we only allow two visitors at a time and we kick them out at ten. Not including your husband of course, he is welcome to come and go as he pleases.'

After the doctor left Slater and Brain came back in to the room. They got Brian to take a picture of all three of them on their camera phones and sent it to all their friends and family with a brief text message. The only people they couldn't send one too were Slater's parents, neither of whom had camera phones.

'Slater, when you've been to the airport and given Carly Sampson a piece of your mind and please make sure that is all you give her, why don't you bring your Mum and Dad over to meet her.'

As Slater and Brian left, exhaustion suddenly came over Jessie and she fell asleep while the nurse took the baby to the nursery, whose name tag so far only read baby Spano-Slater, because neither of her parents had mentioned anything about a name for her yet.

At the airport Slater and Brian had caught up with Carly Sampson. The had known they would find her at the gym where she was a member, she was known for doing workouts pre-flight. They had tricked her in to meeting in the managers office with them. When Slater had told the gym manager he needed to use the office, he had made himself scarce and gone out on the gym floor. They had told Carly to come down to the office as , as a representative of the law firm they had more good news from the trial.

'So whats this good news then?'

'The good news is that your lawyer, that fought the case so hard for you and her baby are both doing fine, no thanks to you.'

'Why should I care about my lawyer once the jobs done?'

Something snapped in Slater then and even with his bad wrist , he still managed to pin her up against the wall.

'You listen to me, that lawyer that fought so hard for you is my wife and she carried on with your case for five hours when she should have been getting herself to hospital. Do you have any idea how dangerous that could have been?'

'Just let me go, why should I care about the personal life of my lawyer?'

Slater slapped her hard round the face then, hurting his bad wrist even more, but he didn't care.

'You have got to be the most undeniably selfish, uncaring person I have ever met. You must have seen Jessie was in pain and you just ignored her. It's lucky for you that Brian came along when he did and that everything turned out okay. Because I tell you now, if anything had happened to my wife or daughter , your life really wouldn't be worth living.

'I got a plane to catch.'

'Hopefully on a one way ticket', said Brian.

'Oh and don't even think of suing me for slapping you or anything, because you see Brian here, he is just as hotshot lawyer as my wife. Only you see, Brians a defence lawyer and he has got people off murder trials when its been obvious to the world they have been guilty. So try and sue me for a little thing like giving you a well deserved slap round the face and you would just be laughed out of the courtroom.'

They left Carly Sampson speechless. They knew thay had made their point and that they wouldn't be hearing from her again.

Brian gave Slater a lift home where he picked up Jessie's car, his own still being in the gym lot and Jessie's old baggy jeans and some other clothes she had asked for for the morning and one of the outfits Lisa had made for the baby when she was born. Then he went to pick up his parents who had only just finished eating their dinner.

'Mum , Dad, get your coats and come and meet your granddaughter, Jessie's expecting us.'

Slater had his parents out the door and bundled in to the car before they even had time to say congratulations. The time they arrived back at the hospital his wrist was really hurting again.

Jessie had woken up hungry and had some dinner and was holding her daughter again when Slater arrived back with his parents.

Jessie got up and handed her to her grandparents and then took hold of Slater's hand.

'Meet your granddaughter, Zoe Janine Spano-Slater.'

'We wanted you to be the first to know her name',Slater explained as his parents wept with joy and took turns to hold Zoe.

'We actually decided on her name a few weeks back. Janine was always going to be her middle name, we decided that a long time ago. It was her first name we had trouble agreeing on. Maybe we should have read the baby name book backwards and started with Zee. You wouldn't believe how hard it has been keeping her name a secret from everyone', Jessie admitted 'Slater, will you please go and get that wrist seen too.'

'What have you done to it AC?', his Mum asked concerned.

'He didn't do anything to it, I did.'

Slater's Mum smiled then, sure she had done something similar to one of the doctors when Slater himself was being born.

It turned out they were able to see to it in reception and they just put a grip on it for support.

'It's just a sprain it will be fine in a couple of weeks', he told them as he came back in to the room 'I've done far worse to myself wrestling and playing football over the years.'

They all stayed until the nurse came to take Zoe back to the nursery for the night and who also told Slaters parents it was time to leave. They stepped outside to wait and left Slater and Jessie alone for a few minutes.

Slater was hugging Jessie close as soon as they were out the door.

'I love you Jessie. You do still love me don't you?'

'More than ever.'

'Jessie, I slapped Carly Sampson round the face.'

'Good.'

'Oh Jessie', he pulled her closer, releived she hadn't actually slapped him for going back on his promise. 'I had better get going. I got to take my parents home', he kissed her goodbye on the cheek. 'I'll be back for you both in the morning.'

'The doctor said she will be round at ten, so make sure its soon after that.'

'I'll be here at one minute past, you make sure you get a good nights sleep now.'

'You too. It's no doubt the last one we are going to get for a while', Jessie was crying again, still unable to believe they were parents now, something she had once been told would never happen to her.

A/N Many thanks to my friend Sally who retold me her own story of only just making the hospital on time ten years ago, thanks to being stuck on a broken down train for five hours!!


	28. Chapter 28

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Ten Months Later

Travis Morris

One month old Travis Morris was asleep in his cot and neither of his parents could believe how different it was this time round. It was still hard work having a baby round again, but the difference was they weren't struggling with carrying on in school and holding down jobs And Kelly had even been able to take some maternity leave this time round, something that would have been impossible back in medical school. And a new Doctor had started at the pratice after Dr Cornwell's departure , just in time for when she went on maternity leave and a locum was covering her until she returned to work.

It had been while they were in Lanzarote visiting Nikki and her husband they had had a long talk deciding on whether to have another child. They had thought it might take a while this time round, but Travis had actually been conceived the day before they flew home and had been born in January.

Ben had gone back to school the week before Travis was born, so hadn't seen his little brother yet, but Sophie adored him.

'I can babysit anytime for you', she had volunteered to her parents 'Well, until I go off to Stanford anyway.'

Sophie had received early acceptance to Stanford and she was already both nervous and excited.

'Are you sure your not just looking to babysit your brother to make a few dollars Sophie?'

'Don't be silly Dad, I wouldn't expect you to pay me. I just meant if you and Mum want to go out one evening.'

'Thanks Sophie', Zack went off to check back on Travis in his room.

They had had an extension built on the house to make a room for Travis and it had only been finished a few weeks before he was born. Sophie was left to talk to her Mum.

'You won't forget about me when I go away will you Mum?'

'What makes you think that Sophie?'

'It's just that now Travis is here, I thought it might be easy for you to forget about me.'

'No Sophie, you mean so much to us', Kelly hugged her daughter, already dreading the day that would soon be upon them when she would go off to college. It had been bad enough when Ben went away to school, but she knew this was going to be even more heart breaking.

Kelly also knew Sophie was already getting nervous about going away, especially the fact that she would be a couple of years younger than most of her freshman class.

'Sophie, I know you've had to grow up quick, but I know you are going to do so well at Stanford and you will make us so proud. You might be going away in a few months, but your Dad and I , we will always be here for you.'

'Thanks Mum. Do you think I'm being silly being scared already? I'm not even going until the end of August.'

'Not at all. I remember how scared and nervous I was when I first went away to college. And I already had the knowledge that the one person that would make it all okay was already there. Your Dad was the first person I went to look for when I arrived at Cal U. Then of course I discovered Slater and Screech were in the same dorm too. Three of my friends were already there ,but it didn't make me any less nervous.'

Zack came back then and sat down with Travis who had just woken up.

'I think he wanted to see his two favourite girls.'

Travis, they said , was the absolute spitting image of Zack, even at a month old.

'I wonder if Travis is the one that will give me as much trouble as I gave my parents.'

'Then I guess Zack that we had better be grateful that the time he is old enough to start causing tha amount of trouble, Sophie and Ben will be all grown up.'

'I wouldn't be so sure of that Kelly. My Mum always says I caused havoc in Kindergarten.'

'You did, I was there remember.'

It was Sunday afternoon and they had all just settled down to watch the television, a quiz show both Zack and Kelly knew Sophie would beat them with the answers at. When the phone rang, Zack picked it up and it was Ben's principal on the other end.

'Hi, Mr Morris. I'm afraid we've had an outbreak of seasonal flu at school. We are going to close the school for a couple of weeks. Ben is not sick, but obviously we want to get all our students out as soon as possible. It is quite a severe strain, six of our students are in hospital with it. How soon can you come and pick him up?'

'It's a bit difficult for us right now, but maybe his Gran or Grandad can come and pick him up in the morning.'

'This evening would be better.'

'Okay, I'll give them a call now and call you back.'

Zack's parents were only too willing to help and headed for San Diego to bring back Ben .

'Ben will get to see Travis at last now', said Sophie, picking Travis back up, she loved playing with her little brother. 'I bet he will be excited to see him.'

Zack's Mum brought Ben home the following morning just before Zack and Sophie left for Bayside. Melanie Morris was only too pleased to have another excuse to come and coo over her latest grandson. He was so like her own son when he had been a tiny baby.

'Did they send you home with lots of work to do Ben?' kelly asked , looking at all his books in his hands.

'Of course Mum. They won't let us get away with it that easily. I'm just real fed up they had to shut the school.'

'You could always come for a few lessons at Bayside if you are that bored',Sophie had joked.

'No way. I'm just going to stay here and practice. I wrote a soothing piece for Travis, maybe I can play it to him later and see if it works soothing him to sleep.'

'Of course Ben. I'm sure your brother will love your music as much as we do. Now Sophie and I had better get to Bayside, or neither of us will be too popular with the principal.'

Later in the morning when Travis was getting sleepy, Kelly asked Ben if he wanted to test out his lullaby tune and picked up his violin. Except it didn't have the desired effect, instead of lulling Travis to sleep, Travis had started to cry and was wailing like Kelly had never heard him before. And so far Travis had been such a good baby and only cried when he needed changing or was hungry.

'I'm sorry Ben, I don't think Travis likes it.'

Ben put his violin down and went and slammed his bedroom door behind him. No one had ever not liked his violin playing, even babies. On breaks home from school he had played to both Crystal and Zoe and it had always had the desired effect on them. He couldn't understand it. Why didn't his own little brother like his music?

For half an hour all Ben heard was Travis cry and his Mum trying to soothe him. He just wanted to be back at school, at least he could practice there without anyone getting upset.

He couldn't understand why his parents had had another child anyway. He certainly hadn't wanted another brother or sister, one nagging older sister was enough. And now thanks to his new brother, he couldn't even do what he loved best in his own home. Well, if he couldn't practice in his own home, he would take his violin to the park and practice there. He took his music sheet books with him as well, maybe he would compose another new tune while he was there.

It wasn't that busy in the park at this time of day, just a few parents with very young children and some pensioner. He found a quiet spot by a tree and hoped nobody would notice him. He just wanted to be alone with his music. He decided to write a new piece, then try it out and start editing it until he got it perfect.

Ben was so involved with his work there under the tree, he didn't notice that some people had started to gather round and watch him. Or that one of the people was the park ranger, who left it as long as possible before interfering, it was beautiful music, but he had a job to do.

'I'm sorry, but you can't play your music here.'

'Why not?'

'You need an entertainments licence to perform here in the park.'

'That's okay, I'm not performing, I'm just practicing.'

'Unfortunately the law doesn't allow for me to see it that way. Besides shouldn't' you be in school? You cutting?'

'No, I've never ever cut school. I got to a music school in San Diego, but its shut down for a couple of weeks because of a flu outbreak. I can't practice at home , because my playing makes my baby brother cry.'

'Oh dear, well I'm sorry that you can't play here.'

'That's okay. I can carry on writing my music though can't I?'

'Of course, just as long as you don't play a single note.'

A little while later Ben's cell was ringing and he saw it was his Mum calling.

'Hi Mum.'

'What do you mean Hi Mum? You went out without telling me.'

'I'm fourteen years old, I'm not a little boy anymore.'

'Your still to tell us where you are going and who with while you are at home. Why did you go out without telling me Ben? You've never done that before.'

'To be honest Mum, I didn't think you would really care, after all you've got another son now haven't you?'

'That doesn't mean I don't care about you any less. I miss you when you are away at school Ben. We all miss you. But you won't get to be a famous musician staying home here in palisades, that's why we let you go there. Please come home. I'm sorry Travis doesn't like your playing, maybe he will grow in to it after a while. Ben, please come home, we don't get to see you that often as it is.'

Kelly put the phone down feeling terrible. Ben had never caused them any trouble and now it seemed he was jealous of his little brother.

That evening while Travis was asleep, Kelly made a special effort making dinner so they could all sit down together and eat as a family. And Ben seemed almost back to his normal self, telling them all about school. That was until Travis woke up and Zack started to get up to go and see to him and Ben gave both his parents a filthy look.

'It's okay Dad', said Sophie 'I'll go and see to him. Why don't you come with me Ben?', Sophie gave her brother a threatening look that said she had better come with him or else.

Sophie warmed up Ben's bottle and then she and Ben went to feed him.

'Why don't you try?', Sophie picked up her brother and tried to hand him to Ben.

'You must be joking. I'm not feeding him.'

'Why not? You can get to know him better.'

'I don't want to. I didn't' want another brother or sister anyway'

'It wasn't up to us Ben. Don't you think he looks just like Dad?'

'Who cares?'

'Why don't you like him Ben?'

'Because he has ruined everything. Mum and Dad won't be able to come and see me in as many concerts at school, they won't be able to come to all our parents days, they probably won't even come and see me graduate and all because they are too busy with him. I know that's what will happen. My roommate Tom, his parents had twins last year and now they hardly ever come to see him at all.'

'But Ben, our parents aren't like that How could you think that? A couple of days ago, I asked Mum if they would forget all about me when I go away to college. She told me not to be silly and that they would always be here for me, the same goes for you Ben. Now go on, take him, come on, get to know your little brother a bit. If he gets to know you, maybe he will get to like your music later on.'

This time Ben took his brother from Sophie and held him for the first time. Deep down, he knew what Sophie had said was right. Maybe having a kid brother wouldn't be so bad after all.


	29. Chapter 29

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Precious Moments

'Now there's a good girl. Well done, now see if you can walk all the way back to your Daddy.'

Slater held his arms out encouraging ten month old Zoe to walk back towards him on her own and when she reached him, he encouraged her to walk back to Jessie.

'You're a clever girl you are, you get that from your Mummy over there. Go on, see if you can walk back to her again.'

Jessie held out her arms as Zoe reached her again.

'Well done Zoe, are you going to do that for your Gran and Grandad tomorrow? Show them what a clever girl you are too?', Jessie cuddled her daughter.

'Slater, I think we've worn our daughter out', Zoe was starting to fall asleep on Jessie's shoulder, so Jessie carried her through to her bedroom for an afternoon nap.

Jessie and Slater had watched Zoe take her first steps on her own two days before when they had gone to pick her up from Lisa's house. Sheila had just been finishing up for the day with Crystal and Zoe. The two little girls had been playing together when suddenly instead of crawling, Zoe had got up and walked alongside Crystal and Crystal had taken her hand as they walked along together.

Monday's , Tuesday's and Wednesday's Zoe now spent at Lisa's with Crystal and Sheila while Jessie and Slater were working and the two little girls had become the best of friends. Four months ago when Zoe had started spending the day with her, Crystal had been fascinated by her new younger friend from the start.

Thursday's were different, Zoe always spent the day at her grandparents house. They had asked if they could look after her on a regular basis from the start. Zoe also stayed with them one Saturday night a month now and Jessie and Slater would go and pick her up on the Sunday and have lunch with them before going home.

The first three months of Zoe's life, except for coaching the wrestlers once a week for Slater, neither Jessie or Slater had been in to work at all. Then gradually they had both started getting important calls for work again. Slater and Kevin were opening two more gyms in San Francisco and two more in Phoenix and Jessie had three new high profile divorce cases coming at her, all clients that had asked for her especially and had said they would wait for her return.

Eventually they had found themselves going back in to work more and more often, though they did try to go in on different days to each other, until the day the inevitable happened, when there was no way either of them could be away from work and it was time to take Zoe to Lisa's house for the day for the first time.

That first Monday they had dropped Zoe off, Jessie had turned in to an emotional wreck. It felt different than when she and Slater had been going to the office on different days.

'I'm going to miss you so much today', she kissed Zoe goodbye with tears in her eyes.

'Be good for Sheila', Slater also kissed Zoe goodbye 'Mummy and Daddy have to go and earn some dollars now. After all , we have to keep you in the lifestyle to which you have become accustomed. It doesn't pay for itself you know.'

Even Jessie had managed to smile at Slaters joke then, as well as realise the reality of it. And after her first full week back in the office, it was like nothing had changed, everything was just carrying on as normal. The only change in her office, was that now, aside from her wedding photo, she had also put an individual photo of Zoe on the wall and she had a family photo of all three of them on her desk.

On the Friday at the end of her first full week back in work, Brian and two of the other partners had come in to the office and then left almost straight away to play golf. That was when Jessie had decided that if they couldn't be bothered to be in the office on a Friday, then neither could she. The only time she went in to work on a Friday now was when she had a divorce hearing scheduled. And the only thing Slater did on Friday mornings was go in to the gym early in the morning to coach the college wrestlers. Apart from that Friday's was their day at home with Zoe, so they always had a long weekend with her.

This Friday they had spent most of the morning helping Zoe practice walking. Now she was asleep for a while, they both used to opportunity to relax on the sofa together.

Neither of them said it, but they were both thinking of the conversation they had held with Slater's parents when they had asked if Zoe could stay over with them one Saturday night a month.

'Are you sure?', Jessie had asked Martin Slater 'You already help us enough by having her all day on a Thursday.'

'Are you kidding Jessie? We love having her. We don't do it because we have to, we do it because we want to. Our granddaughter has given us a whole new reason to go on living. We know how much you both love Zoe and rightly so, but you need to make time for each other as well. After all, if it wasn't for your love for each other, Zoe wouldn't even be here.'

Slater had been shell shocked at his Dad's speech, it had to be one of the most heartfelt things he had ever heard his Dad say. In fact he had almost said 'Will the real Martin Slater please stand up', but had managed to hold his tongue.

But then both Martin and Carol had gone on to explain that after Slater himself had been born they had almost ended up in the divorce courts themselves, they had been so wrapped up in their first child and Martin also with the army, they had completely forgotten to be there for each other.

Of course it had been different for Slater and Jessie, having been lucky enough to take time off together when Zoe had been born, they had never forgotten about each other, except perhaps for the first three months after Zoe had been born, when the sleepless nights had worn them out so much, they had both felt like a couple of zombies. But even so, ever since Martin and Carol had spoken to them, they had taken it to heart and made extra effort with each other.

'So, Zoe is at Mum and Dad's tomorrow night, what do you want to do? Dinner and a movie maybe?'

'Sounds good to me'.

Just as Zoe woke up, Jessie got a call from the office.

'Partners meeting. That could mean a lot more high profile cases about to come our way. Don't worry, I promise I won't take on too much. And I'll be back as soon as I can', Jessie promised and then picked up her car keys and kissed both Slater and Zoe goodbye.

Slater sat back down on the sofa with Zoe and picked up their wedding album that he and Jessie had been looking at a little earlier. Zoe loved pictures of people, especially people she could recognise that were special to them. A lot of the people in the album pictures , were also in pictures on the lounge wall.

'Hey look Zoe, this is your Mummy and I's wedding day. Look, we got married on that big Ferris wheel right there', Slater pointed to each picture as he told her about them.

'Here', Slater turned to the next page 'You know these people don't you, there's Zack and Kelly, Sophie and Ben, Lisa and Darren and Screech. Look here too, there's your Gran and Grandad. And see this lady next to them, that's your Aunty Janine, she's not with us anymore, but one day when your older, I'll tell you all about here and what an amazing woman she was.'

Slater didn't have much time to miss Janine these days, but every time he thought of his late sister, the ache was still there. He had ended up going for grief counselling on Jessie's encouragement and it had helped him a lot. He had come to accept he was never going to get over his sisters death, the ache would always be there, but it had also taught him he could learn how to live with it, without thinking of her every waking minute. But even so, on the occasions he did think of her, it didn't stop him missing her any less.

'You couldn't have shown up at a better time Zoe',Slater kissed his daughters forehead. 'Hey look, you see that man there, he was your other Grandad, your Mummy's Father. He didn't live long enough to meet you either, but your Mummy's convinced he knew you would show up one day. Look , there, there's your other two Grandma's as well. You will get to see both of them in a couple of months when they come for your first birthday party', he showed her pictures of Jessie's Mum and Jessie's step mum Lesley.

The time Jessie arrived back home from her meeting, Slater had long finished showing Zoe the album. He had started to do a jigsaw puzzle on the floor with her, but all she seemed to want to do was practice walking.

'You practicing walking again', Jessie put her briefcase down and took her position at the other end of their long sofa from Slater, where they found themselves doing exactly the same thing they had been a few hours before 'Your going to wear your Daddy and I out.'

'Never mind wear us out, she'll have Mum and Dad chasing her all round the place before she goes to bed tomorrow night. What happened at the office anyway?'

'Nothing that exciting. Dean, the most senior partner in the firm, announced his retirement. But you will love this, Carly Sampson has been arrested in Australia, for posession of illegal narcotics. Our colleagues in Australia knew we had dealt with her before and Brian and I had great pleasure in telling our colleagues down under not to take on her case.'

'Just an ordinary day at the office then?'

'Something like that. Though I think Brian was a bit upset having to be torn away from his golf match. Apparently he was winning for the first time in over a year.'

A couple of hours later as Zoe walked back to Slater from Jessie, practicing longer distances across the room now, Zoe started to rub her eyes.

'I think its time for bed for you', but still Zoe wouldn't have being carried. She wanted to walk to her bedroom, holding each of her parents hands, she only let them pick her up when they were inside her bedroom and it was time for her to be put to bed.

'She is going to be running all over this place before long', Jessie said as they finally collapsed on the sofa.

'I know, shall we order a Chinese or something. We haven't had a take away for ages.'

'That's a good idea Slater, usual?'Jessie asked as she picked up the nearest phone.

'You bet'.

Jessie smiled as she put the phone down to the man at the take away. Major changes happened in your life, but it was comforting to know some things always stayed the same, even if it was just your order from the local Chinese take-away.


	30. Chapter 30

-1_I do not own Saved By The Bell. Neither do I own any of the original characters or storylines referred too. They all belong to Peter Engel/NBC productions. Neither am I anything to do with those companies. This is just a story by a fan of the show for other fans of the show. Neither is this story meant to express any personal political views, everything that happens is purely for the purpose of the story only. _

Chapter Thirty

Josie's Unusual Prom Date

Nicola Powers loved being back at school and was enjoying it much more this time round now she was doing something she wanted to do. And she also there would be no quitting after her baby was born this time, Sam would never let her anyway, even if she wanted to. It was March now and her baby was due in mid-June. They had planned it that way as much as possible, so it would be born just in time for the two month break from school. Nicola was getting straight A's in every class she took and her professors said in the long term she should be looking towards a PHD.

'Well , now I've got something to live up to Mum', Josie had said, when her Mum had come home with another assignment she had aced.

Josie had a new love of her own, but Nicola wasn't worried at all, it wasn't a boy, but it was taking second place, even to squash. Josie was completely fascinated with Kevin the robot. Despite all she had said at the beginning about not having time to work on Kevin, every hour she wasn't studying or playing squash, she had spent helping her Mum and Stepdad rebuild and re-programme Kevin. In the house, Josie and Kevin went everywhere together and she even kept him in her room at night.

'You spend so much time with that robot, anyone would think you were going out.', Paul who had no time for Kevin had joked 'What are you going to do, take him as your date to the senior prom?'

'Why not? He's better looking and more thoughtful than any of the boys in the senior class.'

'You can't be serious Josie.'

'Maybe, who are you taking anyway? Have you asked anyone yet?'

'No, I thought I might just asked Sophie.'

'But you two already tried going out, it didn't work.'

'I'm not going to ask her to start dating me, just to go to the prom. Besides, who are you to talk? You can't kiss a robot goodnight.'

'Yes you can', Josie kissed Kevin on his computerised mouth.

'That's it, my Stepsister really is nuts', Paul went back downstairs to sort his squash kit out.

Josie hadn't signed up to the squash team for her senior year, even after being female schools state champion her junior year. She still liked to play, but only for fun. Now she spent a lot of time at the computer science club with Sophie. It was the revival of Kevin the Robot that had sparked Josie's interest in that area.

Paul, however, having been male schools state champion junior year was determind to repeat the feat his senior year. He had applied for a sports scholarship at Cal U and was anxiously waiting to hear from them.

Josie herself had applied to UCLA but hadn't bothered with trying for a sports scholarship after all. And ever since the re-building of Kevin, she had already decided she wanted to major in computer science. Paul was hoping to major in Sports Science at Cal U.

'I guess this is one very scientific household', Nicola had said, after Josie and Paul had told them their final ideas of what they were thinking of majoring in college.

'Do you think the new baby will have a scientific mind?', Screech had asked.

'I don't doubt it Sam, it will probably be a science geek, but a cool one, just like its parents.'

The night Josie and Paul were due to go to their senior prom, Nicola was studying hard for a pure maths assignment in the lounge.

'Is Dad staying on at school to organise the prom then?'

' I think so Paul, but he did say he was still going to come home and get changed before it started. You and Sophie might be able to get a lift with him.'

'No thanks, Sophie and I are going in a limo with some friends. How are you getting there Josie?'

'Kevin and I are walking, he can't sit down in a car remember and I'll get a lift home with Sam and we can lay him on the backseat.'

'I still can't believe your taking a robot to the prom.'

'At least I'll be getting some intelligent conversation from my date tonight.'

Nicola put her books down then.

'Josie, are you sure you are okay going to the prom without a date?'

'I have a date.'

'I meant a human date Josie. How you going to dance with a robot?'

'Quite easily, we've been practicing.'

'Did no one in school ask you to the prom?'

'Lots of boys asked me, I just didn't want to go with them.'

'Why not?'

'Because I didn't like any of them as much as I used to like Martin.'

'Martin Belding?'

'Yes, I know we split a while ago, but I've really missed him since he went away to college.'

When Screech arrived home Paul had already left to pick up Sophie and Josie was ready and waiting with Kevin.

'You remember Bayside don't you Kevin', Screech asked the robot.

'Sure. We performed together there and I even helped you patrol the corridors once.'

'Luckily Kevin, I'm a lot better at that now than I was then.'

Nicola looked over at her daughter one more time and realised how beautiful she looked in her dress. Personally Nicola thought Josie was wasted on a robot, but she didn't say anything, she didn't want to hurt her daughters feelings.

Having decided to hold the prom at Baysdie on a Saturday night this year, Screech had had trouble finding chaperones. When he had been at Bayside, senior events and parties hadn't been chaperoned, although Mr Belding had always usually put in some kind of appearance. But now all the rules and regulations had changed and he had to have a minimum number of chaperones there , even for high school seniors. So once again he had found himself calling on his oldest, closest friends, asking if they could get babysitters and help him out. He was in luck, Jessie and Slater were free anyway, it was Zoe's Saturday night at her grandparents, Zack and Kelly took Travis to his parents for the evening and Lisa and Darren to Crystal to Darren's parents house. Then they all found themselves back inside the old Bayside High gym together yet again.

There was never any doubt as to who would be voted prom king and Queen and when Josie and Kevin went to the stage to receive their crowns everyone cheered. All the girls wanted to dance with the robot afterwards.

'Sorry girls, he only has eyes for me', Josie told them as she went back out to the centre of the dance floor with Kevin.

'Well Darren, I took you to the first senior party of the year and finally at last, we got to go to the senior prom together', Lisa led her husband out on to the floor for the last dance.

'And Lisa, I can only say it was well worth the wait.'

'So do you think maybe we should check out the boiler room, see if a couple of kids have got themselves locked in while looking for the ladder?', Slater smiled at Jessie as he said it. This always came up , every time they found themselves back at Bayside, as to how they had spent most of their senior prom locked in the boiler room.

'No if there are, leave them. I 'm sure they will be fine, I was. It was the best prom I ever went to', Jessie kissed her husband on the cheek, as they moved round the dance floor.

Nicola showed up halfway through the last dance and led Screech straight to the dance floor.

'You couldn't have the last dance without the principals wife. I finished my assignment a little while ago.'

As they danced, they passed Josie, still happily dancing with Kevin.

Zack and Kelly had had to stop dancing to go and sort out a fight with some of the kids, yet the kids turned out to be Sophie and Paul and a guy named Troy, one of the most popular boys in the senior class.

'Now what is this all about? This is the last dance, you should be in there enjoying yourselves', Zack separated them.

'It's all my fault', said Sophie 'I said I wouldn't dance with Troy, so he called me a freaky geek and then Paul stuck up for me, with his fists.'

'Okay Sophie, you can go back inside. Paul, Troy, you had better go and wait for Mr Powers and I outside his office. The prom is over for you two and the detention is only just beginning.'

Zack went back to find Screech and Kelly ended up finishing the last dance dancing with her daughter. Then the kids all started to disperse and the adults were left behind waiting for Screech and Zack to come back from dealing with Troy and Paul.

Sophie and Josie were outside with Kevin saying goodbye to all their friends. Eventually both Paul and Troy reappeared outside and Troy came straight over to Sophie.

'I'm sorry Sophie. I didn't mean to call you a science geek in a nasty way. The truth is I look up to you. I never know what to say to you because I'm worried you will find me boring.'

'Troy, I could never find you boring. I only didn't dance with you because I didn't think I would know what to say to you. What do you say to the most popular senior boy in school?'

'And what do you say to the most intelligent senior in the school?'

'See, you two are already talking', Josie smiled at them 'Paul, would you like to walk Kevin and I home, leave these two to it?'

'Sure Josie, I'm coming now.'

A couple of hours after the kids had left, the whole gang had restored Bayside's gym to its previous state and they had started taking all the equipment back down to the boiler room. The first thing Jessie did was wedge open the door, so that it wouldn't lock behind any of them.

It was two in the morning the time they all left for home. When Zack and Kelly did arrive home, all the lights were still on and they noticed Sophie and Troy were sat outside making out on the gazebo.

'Shall we call them in?'

'No , lets leave them for a while. After all, we were out much later on our senior prom night', Kelly sat down on the sofa next to Zack and switched the TV on loud, just to make Sophie aware that they were home, then she turned the sound back down to a normal level again.

'I don't think I could chaperone too many kids dances, that was hard work. I'm worn out.'

'Me too Kelly. It's harder than trying to teach them methods of business studies. Luckily though, Screech enjoys all that extra curricular stuff, I guess he needs to being the principal and everything.'

Both not having had a real good nights sleep since Travis was born, Zack and Kelly fell asleep on the sofa together, only to be woken a couple of hours later by Sophie walking through the lounge to say goodbye to Troy.

A/N Well that's the end of the second season. I will write a third season soon. In the meantime thank you so much for all the reviews. Hope you liked the light hearted end to this season.


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